Arthur Owen Blessitt (1940–2025)
Arthur Blessitt, who started carrying his (literal) cross around the world in 1968, has come to the end of his life’s journey. His cross was 3.6 metres of 100m square timber – with a wheel at the foot. He continually wore out tyres as he walked over 69,748 Km.
“Thanks to all of you that I met along the way of my life and crosswalk. For the love, food, drink and welcome from the cities to the jungles and wars and deserts. You welcomed the cross and this walking pilgrim. I leave thinking of you all. True treasures. Great thanks to you who have supported us with your gifts of finances. You have been a vital part of my life and this mission as you covered us with prayer and support. I look forward to meeting untold numbers of people that God has used us to help lead to Jesus and salvation.
“I request that there be no funeral or memorial service for me. The greatest thing you could do would be to go out and lead one more soul to be saved. The second thing would be that you would support this ministry of the cross in sharing the message of Jesus with the world. Share Jesus with someone today and lead a lost soul to be saved. In Jesus name! A cross-carrying pilgrim follower of Jesus.”
The country in which Blessit was arrested the most was the USA. He was most welcome in Papua New Guinea, Poland, Spain, India, Lithuania, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Guatemala & West Africa. He described Perth and Hiroshima as the “most modern” cities he visited.
Blessit explained that he carried his cross as a witness. “We must be careful not to CREATE a Jesus like a successful business man that won ‘salesperson of the year’. Or a Jesus like a super sports hero who always wins! NO, The real Man Jesus carried a REAL Cross, shed REAL blood, suffered in a REAL body, and his REAL dead body was taken down and buried in a tomb. Jesus sweat Real drops of blood in the garden the night before He was crucified. He prayed to the Father ‘if it is possible let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not my will but Thy will be done!’ Within hours a scourged, bloody and tortured Jesus is carrying a Cross toward Calvary. No beautiful cross there, No-one saying ‘this cross would look good on you!’ Horror of horrors—-how could we, even worse how do we? At that Cross no cheering crowds, no wild adulation, no long ovation of applause ONLY jeers, mockery, curses, nails, blood and a cross as the Son of God bought our souls with his life!”
At last, Arthur Blessitt has met that Cross-carrying Jesus.
Quotes and information from https://blessitt.com/
Main Image: Arthur Blessit on his 80th birthday. Image credit: blessit.com
Image: Arthur Blessitt, the man who has carried a 12′ cross into every nation on earth, speaking at the Charter Hall, Colchester, England. Image Credit: Tim Abbott/Flickr
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