About the Exhibition

Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican, Baptist . . . These are only a few of the Christian denominations represented in the exhibition Under the Sign of the Cross: Creative Expressions of Christianity in Canada.

For millions of Christians in Canada and abroad, the year 2000 has a special meaning as they commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, Christianity's founding figure. To mark the occasion, the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum are illustrating the impact of Christianity on Canada through more than a hundred and thirty religious works, including statues, models, miniatures, stamps, bibles, war art and music.

Located in the Arts and Traditions Hall, the exhibition area is in the shape of a cross and is divided into nine galleries, each of which represents a principal symbol of Christianity.

In Gallery 1, a panel which represents points of view, The Growing Tree of Christianity, illustrates the growth of Christianity over the past two thousand years.

Gallery 2, Crossroad, features a beautiful wayside cross, symbol of Christianity.

Gallery 3, To See and Worship God, contains sculptures depicting saints and biblical persons such as the statue of Guardian angel and child, a nineteenth- to early twentieth-century art work collected in Quebec by Marius Barbeau.

Gallery 4, Models of Faith, features exquisite models such as one depicting the Old Testament Bible story of Noah's ark and the flood. It also includes a selection of stamps from the Canadian Postal Museum.

Gallery 5, To Hear the Word of the Lord, is dedicated to music. In addition to a church organ, there are audio booths containing a diverse selection of Christian music, including Gregorian chant, folk music and gospel music.

Gallery 6, To Read the Word of the Lord, represents the broad appeal and enduring importance of the Bible and the Lord's Prayer through a variety of textiles, paintings, carvings and bibles. his gallery also features an area containing books and publications on Christianity and related topics.

Gallery 7, the Atelier, is a studio area to be used by local artists to demonstrate some of the art forms featured in the exhibition. Over the course of the year, renowned Canadian iconographer Heiko Schlieper will demonstrate the many stages in the production of icons, as he paints an icon depicting Christ's Entry into Jerusalem.

Gallery 8, A Window Open unto God, contains beautifully detailed religious icons and other works of sacred art, most by Canadian artists, such as an icon of Saint Matthew created by André Prévost of Alberta.

Gallery 9, Christians at War and on the Battlefield, demonstrates how Christian beliefs and practices have been linked to national war efforts. This gallery features paintings such as watercolours by William Ogilvie that chronicle the 1943 Allied campaign in Sicily. It also presents artefacts such as a portable Communion kit used by the clergy serving with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War.