The La Salette Crucifix

The La Salette cross has pincers on one side and a hammer on the other.

At La Salette, Mary wore a crucifix suspended from a chain around her neck. On either side of it was an instrument used in Christ’s crucifixion. A hammer was on the right, and a pincers on the left.

The hammer was the tool used to drive the nails into Christ’s flesh. It symbolizes sin. The pincers were the pliers-like tool used to remove the nails when Jesus was taken down from the cross. They symbolize prayer and penance.

Drapes interpretation of this Crucifix includes the letters “INRI”: “Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm.” Latin uses “I” instead of the English “J”, and “V” instead of “U” (i.e., Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum). The English translation is “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionaries_of_La_Salette