[Global2010]

Jesus is on the cross smack dab in the middle above the alter.

I learned that is on difference in Catholic and non Catholic churches.

Christ is on the Cross.
And the stations along side the pews in the stained glass windows.

Of course I being in one place for most of my life I have only been to a few Catholic Churches but he is right there on the cross.

Also isn't there some fragment of bone or such in the alter of one of the Saints? Help clear me up on that one if need be.

[Salvation]

The is a sacred relic embedded in the altar stone of the main altar.

[Pyro7480]

I think one thing needs to be cleared up. The correct spelling is "altar" (not to single you out, since more than one poster made that mistake).

Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and some of the Anglican and Lutheran Churches use crucifixes. The Eastern Rite Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches' crucifixes are flat, with the "corpus" (or depiction of Christ's Body) painted on it.

Ideally, a crucifix is above the altar, or behind it (sometimes, it sits on top of it). This is to serve as a reminder that the Sacrifice of the Cross is the same Sacrifice that takes place during the Mass (no, Catholics don't try to sacrifice Christ many times. The Sacrifice of the Cross is eternal.)

The Twelfth Station of the Cross (out of fourteen) is the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus, so a crucifix is central to any depiction of that station.

In every Catholic altar, there should be a relic of one of the saints, which is usually a fragment of bone. This is done in imitation of the practice of ancient Christian who said the Mass on top of the tombs of martyrs.