The Cross of Mary

There are projects born for a generation. Others are born with the ambition to endure for centuries.

The Cross of Mary was born from a dream: to create in Spain a great monument dedicated to the Risen Christ, depicted with open arms as a symbol of faith, hope, love, unity, and welcome to all humanity.

A monument conceived not only to be admired, but to become a place of encounter and a legacy built together by thousands of people.

The initial vision is for a monument approximately 180 meters (590 feet) high, crowned by a great cross of contemporary Byzantine inspiration, with the Risen Christ at its center.

Given its extraordinary dimensions, the project also aspires to explore a potential application for recognition by Guinness World Records, always subject to the organization’s official requirements, measurements, verification, and certification.

But before we talk about records, architecture, or dimensions, we need to achieve something far more important:

10,000 people who believe in this idea.

THE DREAM OF MIGUEL DEMPERE PORTOLÉS

The initiative was created by Miguel Dempere Portolés (@drmigueldempere on Instagram), a physician and surgeon with an extensive professional career particularly connected to Venezuela, Spain, and Miami.

After a lifetime dedicated to his profession, Miguel now wants to pursue a project of an entirely different nature: to leave a spiritual legacy capable of transcending generations.

His vision is for The Cross of Mary to be a monument crowned by the Risen Christ, with His arms open to the world, conveying a universal message of hope.

But Miguel does not want this to be his project alone.

He wants it to become the project of thousands of people.

And that journey begins here.

THE FIRST 10,000 FOUNDERS

This campaign represents the first phase of The Cross of Mary.

Our initial goal is to raise €300,000 and bring together the first 10,000 Founders who want to support the birth of this project.

We want those who believe in The Cross of Mary from the very beginning to be remembered if the monument ultimately becomes a reality.

For this reason, our intention is for the first Founders to be recognized through a commemorative plaque bearing their name and connected to the future monument, provided the project is ultimately built and subject to its final design, the necessary authorizations, and all applicable conditions.

A personal name.

The name of a family.

The memory of someone who is no longer with us.

A community.

A story we want to leave for future generations.

10,000 people.

10,000 names.

10,000 stories capable of setting a dream in motion.

One name. One story. A legacy forever.

WHY €300,000?

We want to be completely transparent: €300,000 is not the construction budget for a 180-meter monument.

This first goal represents the foundational and feasibility phase of the project.

The funds will help finance the work required to transform a conceptual idea into a proposal that can be seriously evaluated: initial architectural and technical development, preliminary studies, documentation, administrative and institutional procedures, project communications, and other actions necessary to assess its feasibility and move toward potential future construction.

The images currently shown are conceptual representations of The Cross of Mary.

The final construction design, dimensions, materials, location, and characteristics of the monument will need to be developed and subjected to all applicable technical, urban-planning, environmental, and administrative studies and approvals.

WHY MONTILLA, CÓRDOBA?

Our initial intention is to explore Montilla, Córdoba, Spain, as a potential location for The Cross of Mary.

For us, Montilla represents an extraordinary place from which to begin this journey.

We therefore plan to send an initial communication to the Montilla City Council shortly to introduce the initiative and formally express our interest.

However, when the time comes to present and advocate for the project in depth, we want to arrive with something far more powerful than renderings and an idea:

the support of 10,000 Founders.

If we reach this first goal, Miguel Dempere Portolés personally commits to promoting and advocating for the project before the Montilla City Council and any other institutions that may be required, seeking to open a dialogue and seriously explore its feasibility.

If, for technical, urban-planning, administrative, environmental, or any other reasons, Montilla ultimately cannot host The Cross of Mary, the commitment will be to continue working to find another municipality willing to explore the possibility of welcoming the project.

We are not seeking to impose a location.

We are seeking the place that can allow this dream to become a reality.

WHAT IF THE CROSS OF MARY ULTIMATELY CANNOT BE BUILT?

We want this to be clear from the very beginning of the campaign.

Our goal is to make every reasonable effort to develop the project, secure a viable location, and obtain the necessary approvals.

However, a monument of this scale depends on many factors that cannot be guaranteed at this stage.

That is why we are also making a commitment:

If, after the necessary steps have been taken, it is concluded that The Cross of Mary cannot ultimately become a reality, the remaining net funds from this campaign that have not been used for the purposes and project expenses described above will be donated to a Spanish foundation dedicated to fighting childhood cancer.

The beneficiary organization will be identified and publicly announced as the initiative progresses.

We want to ensure that even if this great dream cannot ultimately become a reality, the support of its Founders will be transformed into help and hope for children and families facing childhood cancer.

One way or another, we want every contribution to leave a lasting mark.

180 METERS TOWARD THE SKY

The initial concept for The Cross of Mary envisions a monument approximately 180 meters (590 feet) high, crowned by the figure of the Risen Christ.

Christ is not depicted crucified.

He appears alive and risen, with His arms open, symbolically welcoming all who look upon the monument.

That is the heart of The Cross of Mary.

The Risen Christ, Light of the World.

Its open structure and contemporary Byzantine-inspired aesthetic seek to unite monumentality, beauty, and spirituality.

And we aspire for it to one day become a landmark recognized far beyond the place where it is ultimately built.

TODAY, THERE IS ONLY AN IDEA. TOMORROW, THERE COULD BE 10,000 FOUNDERS.

We do not yet know where this journey will end.

We know where we want it to begin: Montilla.

We know our first goal: 10,000 Founders and €300,000.

And we know what we want to do when we reach it: take The Cross of Mary before the relevant institutions and fight to turn this vision into a real project.

Perhaps many years from now, someone will arrive at The Cross of Mary, look up toward its 180 meters, and find thousands of names there.

And perhaps one of them will be yours.

One of those first names that were there when there was no monument yet.

When there was only an idea.

The names of those who believed first.

Help us take the first step.

Become one of the Founders of The Cross of Mary.

One name. One story. A legacy forever.