Stations of the Cross

St. Mark’s Lenten Display: Stations of the Cross and The Lion of St. Mark 

During the season of Lent our church displays the Stations of the Cross and The Lion of St. Mark by artist and St. Mark’s longtime parishioner Richard Rush (1916-2001). Dick Rush was a prolific commercial artist who concentrated on sculpture in the later part of his career. He founded Richard Rush Studio, a model company where he created permanent displays for many clients, including the Shedd Aquarium; Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry (including work on the coal mine); and most notably, the dies from which the Presidential Seal is cast. Other work at St. Mark’s by Dick Rush includes the wall mural of the life of Christ, found in the hallway outside the choir room. 

The Stations of the Cross displayed throughout the nave of the church are made of a lightweight modeling material that resembles stone. They are hand colored and mounted on wood panels. The images are emotional, yet subtle. The consistency of the colors and the use of similar figure groupings enable the story of Christ’s journey with the cross to build slowly and carefully. They bear more depth of understanding with repeated visits, as the Stations of the Cross spiritual practice is wont to do. The Stations begin at the front right of the church and proceed clockwise, ending at the pulpit. 

The Lion of St. Mark appears at the rear right of the church nave. It too is made of lightweight modeling material, but is not stained. St Mark represented as a lion comes from the prophetic visions in the Book of Revelation—one of the four living creatures near the throne of the Almighty who are symbols of the four evangelists. In his sculpture of the winged lion, Dick Rush has incorporated crosses and other religious motifs along with significant dates in the founding and building of St. Mark’s Church in Glen Ellyn. It also includes an engraved panel listing the rectors of St. Mark’s parish from the first, Herbert. W. Prince in 1909, through the eighth, Raymond E. Cole, ending in 1996. 

Please take time during this quiet season to visit the pieces that we are fortunate to keep as Richard Rush’s legacy.