The text of the “ Rite for the Opening of the Holy Year in Local Churches ” notes “choosing a Cross with special significance… [and] placing it in the sanctuary, near the altar, throughout the Holy Year” (no. 9) but also “noting that, in the sanctuary, only one Cross is to be kept” (no. 30). The Liturgy Committee of the Vietnamese Bishops’ Conference, after consulting and comparing liturgical documents, answers as follows:

The provision of a single Cross in the sanctuary belongs to the current liturgical law and is also a long-standing custom of the Church. Accordingly, the Church has determined that there should be only one altar Cross. That is, once there is a Cross placed on the altar, or near the altar, or hanging above the altar or on the wall at the head of the sanctuary behind the altar, the appearance of a second Cross is not necessary, unless the large Cross is too far from the altar to serve the purpose of making it easy for the assembled community to see and for the celebrant to incense. [1]

Thus, during this Holy Year, when observing the directive of a single Cross in the sanctuary, two cases need to be considered:

1/ Firstly, for churches that are currently using a Cross placed near the altar that can be easily carried/moved or that can use this Cross as the leading Cross for the Holy Year pilgrimage, it completely meets the requirements of the “Rite of Opening the Holy Year in Local Churches” (no. 30) as well as the requirements of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal: “The Cross with the image of Christ crucified carried in procession can be placed next to the altar to serve as the Cross at the altar or removed and placed in a worthy place because the altar can have only one Cross” (QCSL 122, 308; see 117).

2/ Second, for churches where the Cross in the sanctuary is hung high above the altar or hung on the wall at the head of the sanctuary behind the altar, making it too difficult to remove or impossible to move, we need to consider the following:

a/ If this Cross is too far from the altar and does not serve the purpose of being easily visible to the assembled community, we are completely permitted to use a second Cross in the sanctuary and that is the Cross that leads the pilgrimage group and is placed near the altar during the Holy Year. [2]

b/ If this (Jubilee) Cross is placed near the altar, the rule of having only one altar Cross in the sanctuary remains valid and effective according to the norm, but we can still consider exceptional cases and dispensations for the second Cross: for example, sometimes there are two Crosses present at some Papal Masses, especially outside Rome or the case of the Jubilee Year 2025. Therefore, the simple solution here is for the diocesan Bishop to simply use his dispensation authority in this case (Code of Canon Law, 87§1; cf. John M. Huels,  Liturgy and Law  [Montréal: Wilson & Lafleur Ltée, 2006], 177-78). Thus, of course, we still keep the Holy Cross hanging high above the altar or mounted on the wall at the head of the sanctuary behind the altar without necessarily covering it, or removing it temporarily, or moving it to another location outside the sanctuary. However, during the Holy Year, the Holy Year Cross is the Cross that everyone must pay special attention to and venerate. This Cross must be large enough and placed in a central position so that everyone can easily see it, decorated in a special, appropriate and fitting way, sprinkled with holy water and incensed according to the instructions of the rite. [3]

Therefore, the case of having two Crosses in the sanctuary, as illustrated above, is not contrary to liturgical law because there is a dispensation from liturgical law regarding a special object and a special period. The special object here is the Holy Year Cross as Pope Francis expressed: “In a world where progress and regression are intertwined, the Cross of Christ remains the anchor of salvation: a sign of hope that does not disappoint, because it is founded on the love of God, who is merciful and faithful” ( General Audience , 21/09/2022), as well as the “Rite of Inauguration of the Holy Year in the Local Churches” (no. 9) recommends choosing a Cross “that has a special significance for the diocese, either historical or artistic, or linked to popular piety”. The special period here is the Holy Year 2025.

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[1]  See  General Instruction of the Roman Missal  [GMS], nos. 122, 117; USCCB, “Built of Living Stones”, no. 91;  Const. Accepimus , decr. 1270; and  Notitiae  2 (1966): 290-291, n.1.

[2]  See QCSL 122; x. 117; USCCB, “Built of Living Stones”, no. 91;  Const. Accepimus , decr. 1270; and  Notitiae 2  (1966): 290-291, n.1)

[3]  See “Inaugural Rite of the Jubilee Year in the Local Churches,” nos. 4, 9, 29, 30; “Closing Rite of the Jubilee Year in the Local Churches,” nos. 3 and 4; QCSL, nos. 49, 75, 123, 144, 173, 190, and 211.

Source: https://hdgmvietnam.com