Crucifix

The **crucifix** (referred to as the Latin "*crux*" in game) (alternatively known as a cross) is a representation of Jesus crucified on the cross, a principal symbol in Christianity.

In the FAITH series, it is John Ward's most powerful– and usually only– weapon. Pressing the action button will cause John to lift the cross in the direction he is facing, and it is the only action John is capable of besides walking. This can be used to ward off demonic entities and spirits that attack John throughout the game series. It can also be used to interact with certain items. Father Garcia has a crucifix of his own as well.

## History

### September 21st, 1986

On this day, Father Allred brings John with him as assistance for a special mission; exorcise Amy by the request from her parents. When John escorts her parents upstairs, he returns back to the basement to find Allred dead and the words "Take it Save her" on the floor, presumably written in blood. He picks up Allred's golden crucifix and presses on.

Despite John's attempts, he is unable to exorcise Amy alone. He prays to an mysterious entity, pleading to escape from the house because he knows she will kill him. The prayer is successful and John escapes, with Father Allred's crucifix still in his possession, even after he goes to the Yale Psychiatric Institute.

### October 31st, 1986

On this day, John is released from Dr. Spinel's care. While John was in the psych ward, the Catholic Church denounces him as a priest. It's not really known as to why, but however, the reasoning could be that it would paint the church in a bad light of a priest losing their mind over a failed exorcism and don't want to link themselves to the deaths of three people. John returns back to his house with his significant other, Molly and keeps his priest outfit and crucifix, likely believing that he will reuse them again.

### Sometime in September of 1987

Sometime in September, John experiences a vivid dream, telling him to finish what he started at the Martin House. Preparing himself by using his crucifix on a demon, he wakes up and retrieves his priest outfit and crucifix, readying himself for his return.

At the same time, Father Garcia is dealing with his own issues. He's been attempting to exorcise a boy named Michael since June with no success. Michael's condition is worsening and Garcia is getting pressured by his parents and Cardinal Gifford to release him from custody. One day in September, during a routine exorcism, Michael breaks off his chains and escapes into the wilderness of Connecticut.

### September 21st, 1987

On the anniversary of the failed exorcism, John drives off to Snake Meadow Hill Road, equipped with nothing other than his crucifix. As he explores the forest, he frequently gets ambushed by Michael, who can be warded off by the crucifix.

Once inside the Martin home, John explores to look for Amy. He comes across an inverted cross drawn with blood and decorated with lit candles in the basement. Seeing satanic symbols closing in on him, he senses that Amy is in her bedroom and goes upstairs.

Amy fades in and tries to attack John but gets repelled. She escapes to the attic and John goes after her. In the attic, Amy hides her face with a cloth while gray demons, who came from previous sacrifices, try to kill John. However, he prevails, and stuns Amy long enough for her demonic hand to go back into her face. With few options left, Amy's demon has no choice but to jump out of the attic window to avoid getting exorcised.

Walking downstairs, a gun is on the floor. John picks it up and won't be able to use his crucifix until its lone bullet has been expended. Red markings on the floor try to entice John to kill Amy, but, thinking that he's done his best, returns back to his car. Michael tries to attack John one more time but gets shot. Stumbling onto the road, he gets ran over by an oncoming truck. John leaves the area, reciting a prayer to calm his nerves since he felt compelled to kill Amy. Driving away, he is unsure what truly happened at the house but hopes he did the right thing by leaving Amy alone.

### September 22nd to 27th, 1987

In FAITH: Chapter II, John experiences a vivid dream full of demons, mostly due to the guilt he feels for what happened with Amy. He faces many demons in it, all of which must be defeated with his crucifix, which has now degraded to a silver color. In the dream, Father Garcia makes an appearance to assist John in defeating Miriam, wielding a bronze-colored crucifix.

At some point, John also locked one of the rooms in his house and attached seven crosses to its door, which can be seen when he wakes up from his nightmare.

### October 28th, 1987

In FAITH: Chapter III, John yet again makes use of his crucifix to fight off demons, now much more numerous and much more real than before. His crucifix now has a bronze color to match Father Garcia's.

### October 29, 1987

In order to progress through the New Haven Apartment Complex, John must give up "that which he clings to most", being his crucifix. He sends it down the dumbwaiter, now completely defenseless. Eventually, he will find a camera, with a flash that will temporarily serve as his one action. He will finally regain the cross once he has reached the building's basement.

### October 31, 1987 (Ending II: A New Journey)

In Ending II: A New Journey, John uses his cross to finally defeat Gary. It will revert to gold after finally putting Amy's spirit to rest.

### October 31, 1987 (Ending III: A New Vessel)

If the player obtains Ending III: A New Vessel, the crucifix hanging above John's bed will be upside-down when he wakes up on the morning of the Profane Sabbath, illustrating how the Order has infiltrated his neighborhood. He will also no longer have a cross in his inventory, leaving him defenseless.

## Trivia

* The changing color of John's crucifix throughout the chapters (from gold, to silver, to bronze) symbolizes John's deteriorating faith as his journey progresses. It becoming gold again in Ending II of Chapter III shows that his faith is now restored after finally finishing what he started.
	+ In turn, the fact that Garcia's crucifix is already bronze by the time of his introduction may imply that he is struggling with staying faithful due to the arduous exorcism of Michael. On the other hand, it may simply be a wooden crucifix.
* John's Crucifix was originally owned by Father Allred before Amy killed him, as revealed in FAITH: Chapter 3.
* Several crucifixes can be found hanging on a wall in the back of the Snake Meadow Hill Church. As John approaches them, one falls ominously off the wall, soon followed by the rest of them.
* There is an oversight that, in the event that John is killed by the Centipede Demon during Ending III of Chapter III, his death sprite will still show his cross despite it not being in his inventory at the time.

## Gallery

### In Gameplay

John holding his crucifix towards a red demon during the optional instructions sequence.John holding his gold crucifix in FAITH: Chapter I.John holding his crucifix (viewed in mirror during Chapter I).John reaching for his crucifix during "The Hunter" ending sequence of Chapter I.Detail of "The Hunter".Silver crucifix in FAITH: Chapter II.A legendary crucifix.Father Garcia with his crucifix.John with his bronze crucifix in Chapter III.A door in John's house, covered in crosses.Father Allred with his crucifix.
### In Cutscenes

Father Garcia's cross in Chapter II.John waking up from a dream, showing the cross hanging above his bed.Johon raises his cross toward Amy during a flashback in Chapter III.John and his now golden cross in Ending II of Chapter III.The inverted cross that appears in Ending III of Chapter III.
### Unused Content

Unused pixel art of a priest with a red crucifix.
## References

1. ↑ Confirmation on changing colors' meaning