Man's 40-Year Journey with Cross Inspires Moviegoers

By Josh Kimball, Christian Post Reporter Monday, March 30, 2009

Though it didn't make its way into the Box Office top ten, "The Cross: The Arthur Blessitt Story" made a notable mark when it debuted in theaters this past weekend.

The film about a man who carried a twelve-foot wooden cross across the world for nearly 40 years raked in $309,455 in just 221 theaters, placing it at No. 18 on the list of highest grossing films for the Mar. 27-29 weekend. Rounding out the Top 10 was "The Last House on the Left" which pulled in $2.6 million in 2,251 theaters.

"This documentary was profound and inspiring to me," commented Sharon Rae, a blogger for Examiner.com. "I encourage anyone seeking or believing to see it."

Produced by Gener8Xion Entertainment, "The Cross" tells the story of Arthur Blessitt, who 39 years ago felt called by God to carry the 45-lb. cross that hung in his Christian coffee house on foot across the country.

Since setting off in December 1969, Blessitt has crossed through 52 war zones, met and visited with both presidents and peasants, been greeted by hundreds of thousands in packed town squares, and spent countless months walking alone down deserted highways. The more than 38,000 miles that he's walked so far is equal to circling the earth one-and-a-half times.

"People are looking for something real to believe in and hope for, and Arthur Blessitt has touched a nerve among people all over the world," commented Susan Zahn, founder and president of WDC Media, a faith-based PR firm that has been promoting "The Cross."

"I think this movie could start a trend of people being more open about the issue of sharing faith in the public square," she added.

In addition to the theatrical release of "The Cross," a book of Blessitt's experiences, also entitled The Cross, has been published by Authentic Publishing, a division of IBS-STL Global and Zondervan. The book was released on Jan. 12.