The Brescia House School Crucifix, Southern Africa
16/02/2026
On 27 January, the Feast Day of St Angela Merici, we marked a moment rich with meaning. As we celebrated 60 years of Brescia House School, we also paused to bless something that will quietly speak to every person who walks through our gates — our new school crucifix.
This was not simply the unveiling of a sculpture. It was a moment of prayer, memory, and intention. A sign of who we are, what we believe, and what we hope for every girl who belongs to this school.
As an Ursuline Catholic school, the crucifix holds a special and central place in our identity. It reminds us that faith is not something separate from daily life, but something that shapes how we learn, how we grow, and how we serve.
A Story Born in Darkness, Carrying Light
The crucifix that inspires ours — the Ursuline crucifix — carries a remarkable history. It was designed in Paris by an artist who was searching for God, and he first drew it while imprisoned in a concentration camp during the Second World War.
In a time marked by fear, suffering, and deep uncertainty, he created a symbol not of despair, but of peace, hope, and faith. When the Ursuline Sisters later encountered this design, they chose it because it spoke powerfully to their mission of educating young people — even, and especially, in a broken world.
In this crucifix, Christ is shown hovering over the world, holding it in love through His sacrifice. His face is calm and peaceful, even in death.
It reminds us that Christ’s love is not loud or forceful — it is gentle, faithful, and enduring.
There is a beautiful link between this crucifix and our own school’s story.
On Holy Thursday, 16 April 1966, the Ursuline Prioress General, Mother Felicia Pastoors, said: “On Holy Thursday we chose the crucifix that we will now wear.”
On that very same day — thousands of kilometres away — Brescia House School was officially blessed here in Bryanston.
Since then, the Ursuline Sisters have worn this crucifix as a sign of faith and dedication. And now, almost sixty years later, that same symbol inspires the crucifix blessed at Brescia House School — linking our past, our present, and our future in a single, powerful gesture.
While rooted in the traditional Ursuline crucifix, our school’s crucifix has been thoughtfully reimagined to speak to the world our girls are growing up in today.
The cross itself is open, crafted from steel, allowing light to pass through it. This openness reminds us that faith is not closed or fixed. Like light, it moves. It grows. It enters new spaces and invites deeper understanding.
The figure of Christ, cast in brass, asks us to look more closely. From the side, Christ appears fragmented — broken into pieces. But when you stand directly in front of the crucifix, those pieces come together to form a whole.
It is a quiet but powerful reminder: in life, and in learning, we do not always see the full picture at first. Faith invites us to pause, shift our perspective, and begin to understand more deeply.
On the reverse of the crucifix, the word SERVIAM — “I will serve” — is etched with intention and care. Each of the seven letters is positioned where a star would appear in the Ursa Minor constellation, which also features on our school badge.
You may notice that the constellation appears almost vertical rather than horizontal. This is because it has been placed exactly as it would appear in the night sky when we look up.
In this way, SERVIAM becomes more than a motto. It becomes a guide — like a constellation — reminding us of who we are called to be, and helping us find our direction.
The choice of brass is also deeply symbolic. Brass has strong roots in African art and tradition, grounding this crucifix firmly in our South African home. It is a warm material that deepens and changes with time.
Like us, it grows richer and more beautiful as it matures.
This crucifix reflects who we are:
• rooted in faith,
• open to growth,
• proud of our heritage,
• and ready for the future.
We did not want a symbol that speaks only of the past.
We wanted one that invites every girl who walks through our gates to grow in faith, seek the light, and remember that even when life feels confusing or broken, there is always a greater story being held together by God’s love.
As students, staff, parents, and visitors pass this crucifix each day, they cross a threshold — entering a space shaped by faith, learning, compassion, and hope.
This crucifix is more than a sculpture. It is a prayer, a promise, and a celebration of everything Brescia House School has been — and everything it is still becoming.
Helga Bishop
Head of Marketing
Brescia House School