Olive Wood Crosses

Each Caring Cross is carved from a unique piece of beautifully grained olive wood pruned from the olive trees around Bethlehem. Christians have been carving crosses like these for thousands of years, originally for pilgrims in the Byzantine Empire. The Bethlehem olive wood industry took shape in the 17th and 18th centuries A.D. when Christian missionaries taught woodworking to provide an income for Christians living in the area. This craft has been handed down for many generations, and still to this day, helps Christians in the area to have work and support their families. These crosses are designed to fit comfortably into the palm of your hand or pocket as an aid to prayer or meditation, comforting everyday worries and stresses, and focusing the prayer of the sick and elderly.