Block Club Chicago
Wooden crosses are being used to advertise a prayer event. [Provided by Aymie Telinski]

Here’s Why There Are Wooden Crosses Outside All Over The City

The crosses are part of an event to unite tens of thousands of Chicagoans in prayer.

Uptown, Edgewater, Rogers Park Primary category in which blog post is published
Kelly Bauer

kelly@blockclubchi.org

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CHICAGO — Hundreds of wooden crosses are being placed throughout the city as part of a massive prayer event planned for Saturday.

The crosses have been placed outside along various blocks with fliers advertising the event, Hands Across Chicago. The crosses match those made by Greg Zanis, an Austin native who now lives in the suburbs and builds crosses to memorialize victims of violence.

Hands Across Chicago organizers hope to gather tens of thousands of people to spread along Madison and Halsted streets and pray together to end violence, according to the event’s website. Participants will pray together as a group before breaking into smaller groups to pray for their neighborhoods and the people who live in them.

The prayer routes run east to west on Madison Street and north to south on Halsted Street.

Participants should start gathering at the crosses along the prayer routes at 11 a.m. Saturday. Everyone will pray together at noon, and the event will finish at 1 p.m.

Wooden crosses at Buena and Broadway advertise a prayer event. [Provided by Aymie Telinski]
Pilsen, Little Village, West Loop Primary category in which blog post is published

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Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Avondale Primary category in which blog post is published

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Wicker Park, Bucktown, West Town Primary category in which blog post is published

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