The San Damiano Wall Cross is truly meaningful and unique because it is a reproduction of the cross in front of which St. Francis prayed as a young man. As he was meditating in front of the cross, he heard our Lord instruct him with a great message: to rebuild the Church. The original cross now hangs in Santa Chiarra (St. Claire) Church in Assisi, Italy. The San Damiano, or Franciscan, cross is called an icon cross because it contains images of people who have a part in the meaning of the cross.

The figure of Christ in this wall cross is not the body of a corpse, but of God Himself. He will never perish and He radiates with the hope of the Resurrection. Above His head is a portrayal of the Ascension: A host of angels welcome Him into heaven, with God the Father's right hand extending in benediction. The angels on the sides of the cross gaze in awe upon the Divine Sacrifice. To the left of the central Christ figure is the Holy Mother and St. John the Evangelist standing at the foot of the cross. To the right, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Mary Cleophas, and the Centurion stand at the foot of the cross. The Centurion is holding a piece of wood, indicating his building of the synagogue (Luke 7:1-10). The small boy behind the Centurion is his son who Jesus had at one time healed. In the lower right and left-hand corners of this scene are small figures of the Roman soldier Longinus holding the lance that pierced Jesus' side, and the Jewish temple guard Stephaton that holds a stick with a vinegar-soaked sponge. On the right side border of the cross is a rooster which signifies Peter's denial of Jesus. Under the central Christ figure are the four most beloved saints of the Franciscan order: St. Francis, St. Claire, St. Anthony of Padua, and St. Bonaventure.