Cross in the Woods Besides being a shrine itself, the Cross in the Woods also has many other smaller shrines on its grounds. These smaller shrines recognize influential people and important members of the Catholic faith. The Stations of the Cross represent the stages leading up to Jesus' death. They consist of 14 specific events that occurred before Jesus was crucified and later rose from the dead. These 14 events are shown through 14 pictures that represent each moment. They are a way to relive and remember what happened. At the Cross in the Woods Parish, the Stations of the Cross are located outside,
Themes of The Lord of the Rings foreshadowed that of Christ. The fall of Gandalf, who fell to save his companions, thus parallels the crucifixion of Christ to save the human race. One of the most obvious Christian themes in Tolkien's writings is the resurrection of Gandalf, who had to sacrifice everything—even his years of plans, efforts, and his very hopes that the Dark Lord might be defeated—in order to secure the safety of the Fellowship. Like Jesus who carried his cross for the sins of mankind, Frodo carried a burden of evil on behalf of the whole world. Frodo walks his "Via Dolorosa" to Mount Doom