The Bishop's Pectoral Cross

The shape chosen for Bishop J. Scott Mayer's pectoral cross was inspired by designs found in a number of the Ethiopian Orthodox crosses from the 14th and 15th centuries.  The shape is "patée" from the Latin word "patere" meaning "to open, to extend oneself."

The dove at the center of the cross is a universal symbol of peace, and in Christian tradition, symbolizes the Holy Spirit.  Moving "over the face of the waters", the dove hovers over a crozier, the shepherd's staff that is carried by the bishop.  Tongues of fire descend on the wine and bread.  These symbols point to the power of the Holy Spirit in creation, the ordination of Bishop Mayer, and the Eucharist.

The moon, stars, and sun on the arms of the cross reference the vast open sky, a defining geographical feature of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas.  The discs which emanate from the arms of the cross are found in many of the early Ethiopian crosses; these serve to remind us of the mesas, mountains, and other outcroppings that emerge from the expansive Northwest Texas horizion.

The cross was designed for Bishop Mayer by sculptor Nolan Kelley and was fabricated by jeweler Steve Hall, both of Abilene, Texas.