At the opening liturgy for the centenary celebration, Bishop Leonard P. Blair is to bless a special centenary cross that will then travel to every parish and religious institution in the 19-county diocese.

The mahogany cross was crafted by Todd Hafner, a member of Toledo St. John the Baptist and owner of Hafner’s Hardwood Connection Inc. in Toledo. It bears the symbols of the four evangelists and the tower of Toledo, representing the people of the diocese. A prayer service is being developed to go along with the centenary cross.

The cross’ journey begins in Our Lady Queen of Peace Deanery in the northwest corner of the diocese, and spends about a month traveling within each deanery. Once it has visited every Catholic institution in the diocese, its permanent home is to be Toledo St. Francis de Sales, which was the first cathedral in the diocese.