A Pennsylvania church is nearing completion of a cross standing 108 feet high on its property, with the sizeable Christian symbol expected to be finished this month. Hilltop Baptist Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania, just north of Pittsburgh, is constructing the large cross with volunteer help, hoping it’ll serve as a beacon for evangelism outreach.
In comments sent to The Christian Post, Hilltop Baptist Church Pastor Jack Lucas said his congregation is building the cross “to share the hope of Jesus Christ and to remind folks” that “God loves us.” The pastor added that the project’s funding came through donations from the congregation, and the cross’ construction should be finished by Father’s Day.
Lucas hopes the massive cross will become a quiet place of spiritual contemplation where “people can come, sit, and pray.” Hilltop Baptist describes itself as a “Bible-believing church that works hard to meet the needs of every age group” as an independent Baptist congregation that recently opened a satellite location in Blairsville.
The church’s website explains, “Our services are traditional; we sing traditional hymns and preach from the King James Bible. Whether you are young or old, you’ll discover a warm welcome and friendly people at Hilltop Baptist Church.” According to The Indiana Gazette, the Hilltop Baptist Church cross is now the tallest in Pennsylvania, a record previously held by a 40-foot cross in Fayette County.
Other churches have recently taken up similar initiatives. In 2020, the nondenominational Katy Community Fellowship of Texas installed a 45-foot-tall cross, creating a “prayer park” on their church property. Katy Community Fellowship Pastor Tim Barker told The Christian Post that the prayer park and cross are meant to be “a beacon of hope and a reminder of God’s love for all people.”
“Each nail was prayed over, representing each family in our congregation,” said Barker. “Some of the inspiration for the cross and park came from artist and architect Max Greiner Jr. in Kerrville, Texas, where monthly thousands tour his ‘Coming King Sculpture Prayer Garden.'”
According to Guinness World Records, the tallest freestanding cross in the world is located at the Valley of the Fallen in Madrid, Spain, a stone monument that measures 500 feet in height that stands above an underground church and tomb.