At the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

     While the British Museum gets more notice, the Victoria and Albert is more friendly, including a very good cafe. The photo here is of a display of processional crosses which are ordinarily mounted on a staff and carried by a cleric into the sanctuary of a Roman or Anglican church at the beginning of the service.  The cross is the symbol of sacrifice and obedience. It is the sign of a humble self-giving love. I find the gold, silver and ornate nature of these incongruous with that meaning, but so is much else in the church. As a member of the clergy I like my vestments and stoles that obviously set me apart from those who did not attend seminary. Maybe we are all a work of incongruity.