The experience of the Cross in poetic testimonies

Abstract

Nowadays the cross themeappears in wideculturalcontext. It ischarasterized by enormousrichness of form and content. The cross is one of the oldestsymbols of humanity. However, todayitsoriginalmeaningseems to be forgotten. It isoftenseen as ornament, art work, religious symbol. Nevertheless, for manypeopleitisexpression of humanexperiencesmarked by stigma of suffering. The presentpaperisanattempt to catchtheseexperiences and show them by analysis of religiouspoetry. The imagery of cross insideitenablesus to getjust a little bit closer to the mysteryexperience in the poetry. Contemporarypoetry was considered by the prism of canonicmysticalpoetryexpressed in John’s of the cross poetry, whoseoutput was diligentlyanalyzed by Edith Stein and Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II). Thatiswhyfollowing the path, in order to catch the deeperlayer of the meaning of the topic, the phenomenologicalinterpretation was used. Stein claimsthatthisintepretationmayallowus to empathize and catchthis, whatiselusive, whatisjustimpossible for humanunderstanding, but becomesanopportunityitself