Introduction -- Part I: Ancient echoes of Christ -- The cross in pre-Christian times -- The mystery of the megalith -- Egyptian signs of life -- The healing cross -- Ugly Roman power symbols -- Part II: The pain and the glory -- The cross and the suffering Savior -- Shouldering the cross -- The garden and Golgotha -- Inscription insights -- The man of sorrows -- Descent from the cross -- Part III: Early signs of faith -- The cross and the first believers -- Crucified with Christ -- The everywhere cross -- Graffiti marks and mocks -- The sign of Jonah -- The outstretched hands -- Signs of the cross -- The absent Crucifixion -- Part IV: The great conversion -- The cross and early religious freedom -- The emperor's vision -- Searching for the real thing -- A cross in the desert -- The missionary cross -- Becoming more Christian -- Part V: Daily signs of salvation -- The cross in ancient everyday life -- A cross for the darkness -- Hoping for the cross -- Fear no evil -- The trustworthy standard -- Coins for the kingdom -- Part VI: Ways to worship -- The cross in early church life -- Walking the cross -- Follow me -- The cross and the water -- Breaking the bread -- Take this cup -- Decorating the sacred -- The iconoclastic cross -- Part VII: Enduring mysteries -- The cross and its eternal power -- Pilgrims of the cross -- The ecumenical cross -- Desperately seeking sanctuary -- Hearts up -- The veiled cross -- The eternal kingdom -- To rise again.