Church statues, crucifixes and Stations

A statue is seen from the pew, not from the shelf it was photographed on. The questions that matter are height against the space, material against the location, and whether the maker is one whose figures are proportioned for a church rather than a mantelpiece. This guide covers those choices for statues, crucifixes, Stations of the Cross and nativity sets.

Height and distance

A figure reads clearly at a viewing distance of about four times its height. A 24-inch statue on a pedestal is right for a side shrine seen from the first few pews; a 36 to 48 inch figure is needed for a niche that is seen across a nave. Below 12 inches a statue belongs on a home altar or in a classroom.

Add the pedestal to the height when planning. A 24-inch figure on a 36-inch pedestal puts the face at eye level for a standing adult, which is the usual target for a shrine with a votive stand in front of it.

Resin, fiberglass, wood and stone

Most church statues are cast resin, sometimes with marble or stone dust in the mix, and hand painted. Resin holds fine detail, is light enough to move, and costs a fraction of carved wood. Indoors it lasts indefinitely; outdoors it fades and should be sealed yearly. Fiberglass is used for large outdoor figures because it is light and weatherproof.

Carved wood statues from the Val Gardena workshops in northern Italy, sold under names such as PEMA and Demetz, are the traditional choice for a parish that can afford them and are mostly found in small sizes. Cast stone and concrete are for gardens and cemeteries, where their weight is an advantage.

Makers to look for: Joseph's Studio and Fontanini (Roman Inc.), Avalon Gallery (Christian Brands), and the Italian importers. Their proportions and faces are designed for liturgical settings; generic resin figures often have a doll-like scale that looks wrong beside an altar.

Crucifixes

A wall crucifix for a church is usually 24 to 48 inches, hung behind or above the altar, with a corpus in resin or cast metal on a wood cross. The San Damiano crucifix, the painted icon-style cross of St. Francis, is a popular alternative for chapels and classrooms. A standing altar crucifix on a base belongs with the sacred vessels and is sized to the candlesticks.

Check that the cross includes mounting hardware. Larger crucifixes need to be anchored into a stud or masonry, not drywall.

Stations of the Cross

A set is fourteen plaques, one per station, hung in order around the nave at a height that can be read from the aisle. Small sets of 4 to 8 inches suit a chapel or classroom and are the common size; church sets of 12 inches and larger are mostly a custom order. Materials run from pressed brass and resin to carved wood; outdoor sets in aluminum are made for cemetery and retreat-house paths.

Before buying, measure the wall space available between windows and confessionals. Fourteen plaques at equal spacing need more wall than most people expect, and the set should fit without crowding the first and last stations against the doors.

Nativity sets

For a church, the figures should be large enough to be seen from the pews: 12-inch scale is the smallest practical size, and 27-inch and larger figures are used in big naves. Fontanini and Joseph's Studio sell the Holy Family as a starter set and the other figures separately, so a parish can build the crèche over several years. Outdoor sets in weatherproof resin or lighted frames are made for lawns.

Check what the listing includes. A stable is often sold separately, and some sets count the animals as pieces.

Questions