By BETTY J. POKAS

For The Times Leader

A 60-foot white cross stands atop a mountain in nearby Pennsylvania, strikingly different from the instrument of agonizing torture and death that preceded the first Easter more than 2,000 years ago.

Symbolic of the victory over sin and death, The Great Cross of Christ on the mountaintop this morning was the focus of Easter sunrise services similar to observances underway in many locations throughout Eastern Ohio. The white cross is on Dunbar’s Knob, about 3 miles east of Uniontown, Pa.

“It’s a landmark that can be seen for miles. It gives people lots of hope and encouragement,” said Jaye Beatty, administrative assistant for the president of the Jumonville Methodist Camp and Retreat Center where it is located.This United Methodist facility also can be used by other denominations.

Three states — Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia — as well as seven counties can be seen from the mountaintop. Beatty said on a clear day, the USX Tower in Pittsburgh can be seen, and the tower is 50 miles away.

Noting she had heard stories about how the cross had inspired others, Beatty said it had given hope to a woman who passed it on her way to cancer treatments. It also has been of benefit to sick animals as one individual said the sight of the cross kept her going throughout the night as she tended a sick horse.

Facebook comments also mention the impressive sight.

The cross has been on Dunbar’s Knob, 2,480 feet above sea level since its dedication in 1950, but efforts to construct it began nearly a decade before that year.

It was the dream of the Rev. Will Hogg, a Methodist minister, in 1942, but he initially thought the dream “was so far out that he was afraid to mention it to the board of directors,” according to the a website about “The Story of the Cross at Jumonville.” The board, however, approved of the idea, and fund-raising began.

Like Jesus himself, construction of the cross encountered difficulties. This symbol to honor the Prince of Peace was delayed because of a shortage of steel during World War II.

“Actually, it was a struggle to get it up there,” said Beatty. A road was cut on the back side of the mountain so materials could be hauled to the site where the 60-foot cross was to be built.

Today’s technology also wasn’t available more than 60 years ago, and Beatty indicated the construction itself revealed “a lot of ingenuity for 1950.”

Two cranes were used to lift it on the 6-foot foundation. Figures show how immense the cross is. The foundation involves 183 tons of concrete, and the main shaft of the cross weighs about 47,000 pounds. The cross arms, which were transported to the cross separately, extend 33 feet.

The cross was welded together on the site. Bracing is inside the steel surface, and it was originally coated with Gilsonite with white mica imbedded in it, according to the retreat website.

“The completed structure will withstand winds of 100 miles an hour and the torsion that might be developed by a whirlwind,” officials report.

Initial fund-raising for the cross resulted in $9,000 being collected in hundreds of Methodist churches. Sunday School children also contributed pennies and dimes, much like the youngsters in Martins Ferry who helped with the statue of Betty Zane. Names of thousands of children who contributed are sealed in the foundation of the cross.

More funds still were needed. Beatty said about two years after the dedication, an event was held with slides showing the beauty of the cross and activities such as the youths taking Holy Communion.

She went on to say that Lewis C. Steiner of the Latrobe Foundry and Machine Co. said he would provide the money to cover the rest of the cost.

Beatty noted that Steiner said he had no idea what the cross planners had meant when they told him about the cross, but he was impressed with what was shown in the slides.

There’s no charge to view the cross and the large signs explaining its background at the site. Visitors can walk up the mountain, but they also can obtain a key to drive to the cross if they call the office, 800-463-7688, during business hours. Beatty advises anyone interested in visiting the cross to call ahead.

Whether it’s called The Great Cross of Christ or just the Cross, this enduring symbol of inspiration every night is illuminated as it reaches toward the heavens to honor the Light of the World.