Good Friday, April 10, Bread Dough Crucifix

This post is one you can do with your children or grandchildren today, Good Friday. It involves the bread dough recipe which I used for the Crown of Thorns devotional activity on Monday of Holy Week. It is simple: flour, water, and salt. The recipe and pictures of crucifixes are given for you to follow. The activity works well with children ages eight and older. The focus is not on perfectly formed crucifixes but encouraging a childlike understanding of how much Jesus loves us. He loves us so much that He suffered and died on the Cross for us.

Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM, Cap. has written many books for children. Among them is The Way of the Cross for Children. Reading  it aloud together as a family or grandparent with child is a helpful way to introduce children to the elements of Christ's Passion and Death on a level they can understand. There are many good children's bibles available, too, which you can read to familiarize your children with the story of Jesus' passion and death. After you have finished reading you can introduce the bread dough crucifix craft as a way of loving and honoring Jesus in a special way on Good Friday. Here is the recipe.

Bread Dough Recipe

PREP: 20 minutes                                                   

 BAKE: 325 1 hour or until hard and dry

INGREDIENTS                                                            

4 cups of flour                 

1 ½ cups of warm water                          

1 cup of salt 

Toothpicks, round head is preferable

EQUIPMENT

Large mixing bowl,

Floured board

Baking Sheet

Large mixing spoon

DIRECTIONS: YIELD: 6 - 8 Crucifixes

1. Combine flour and salt in bowl. Mix thoroughly. 

2. Make a well in center of flour/salt mixture.

3. Pour 1 cup water into flour mixture and stir.

4. Add more water until flour is moist but not wet.* Continue mixing. May use hands.

5. Knead dough 5 minutes on floured board or in bowl until smooth.

6. Turn oven on to 325 degrees.

7. Using the examples of Jesus on the Cross that we have pictured on this post, form your own crucifix. You may have a large one or a number of smaller ones. Use tooth picks for the crown of thorns and to place the marks for his wounds, hands and feet,  and where the sword pierced his heart. You can slightly moisten the bread dough to have the various arms, etc., adhere to the cross, or you may use a bit of glue or egg white. Do not make it wet, just enough to make them stick!

8. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. 

9. Bake for 1 hour or until very hard. Let cool thoroughly before painting.

*Be careful not to use too much water or bread dough will not harden but instead puff out!

Below is an example of  three crucifixes that you may find useful as patterns.

We use acrylic paints to paint our Bread Dough Crucifixes. With children I always make sure they wear an old shirt or apron when using acrylic paints since they do not wash out. You may seal it with a clear, spray or acrylic sealer if you wish. Washable paints can be used if you prefer. The Crucifixes will store well after Good Friday. You can save it and use it next year for a Holy Week Devotional.

The following is a beautiful, traditional prayer to say before your crucifix. You can also encourage the children to write their own prayers. I know Jesus would love their prayers very much.

 PRAYER BEFORE A CRUCIFIX

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus

while before Your face I humbly kneel and,

with burning soul,

pray and beseech You

to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments

of faith, hope, and charity;

true contrition for my sins,

and a firm purpose of amendment.

While I contemplate,

with great love and tender pity,

Your five most precious wounds,

pondering over them within me

and calling to mind the words which David,

Your prophet, said to You, my Jesus:

"They have pierced My hands and My feet,

they have numbered all My bones."