symbols

Many stylized cross forms arose during the Middle Ages in Europe. These beautiful crosses have strong symbolic values in addition to representing the crucifixion of Jesus.

First, the four arms of the cross are said to represent:

• the four gospels, and
• the four directions in which the Good News spread, unto
• the four corners of the world

The Greek cross is one of the oldest known crosses, a simple square cross characterized by four arms of the same length and form. The emblem of the Red Cross is an example of a Greek cross. Greek cross forms have been found in catacombs and on early Christian tombs.

The Jerusalem cross consists of a large Greek cross with four smaller crosses, one in each quadrant.  The earliest depiction of what looks like a Jerusalem cross is found on the Bayeux Tapestry, a famous pictorial embroidery showing the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

A pattée cross, popular in medieval heraldry, is defined as a cross whose arms are narrow at the center, and broader at the perimeter. The splayed ends of each arm of the cross was thought to resemble a paw, which is pattée in French.

A patonce cross is a variant of the pattée cross, but with each arm terminating in a three points or petals. The three petals represent the Trinity; the cross’s twelve petals represent the twelve Apostles. ‘Patonce’ is derived from French patte d’once, or paw of an ounce (snow leopard).

The Maltese cross is a particular type of Pattée cross (its arms are narrow at the center, broader at the perimeter); the defining feature of the Maltese Cross is that it has eight points, two on each arm of the cross.  The order of the Knights Hospitaller, later the Knights of St. John, used this cross as their emblem. After they were given the island of Malta in the twelfth century their cross became known as the Maltese cross.

The eight points of the cross are said to represent:

• the Eight Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-10
• the Eight Points of Courage: Loyalty, piety, generosity, bravery, glory and honor, contempt of death, helpfulness towards the poor and the sick, and respect for the church.
• spiritual rebirth and baptism (Christ rose from grave eight days after entering Jerusalem)

These crosses are a beautiful  way to declare and celebrate your faith and its heritage.

Chi and Rho are the first two letters of  the word Christos (Christ) in Greek – ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ.  The Chi Rho is sometimes called the Monogram of Christ or Chrismon; it is also known as labarum – the soldier’s cross.

The origin of the Chi Rho is generally attributed to the Roman emperor Constantine. According to the early church father Eusebius,

On 28th October 312, before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Constantine  “…saw with his own eyes, up in the sky and resting over the sun, a cross-shaped trophy formed from light, and a text attached to it which said ‘By this conquer.’ ”

He saw the shape of a flaming cross,  “a long spear, overlaid with gold. . . “on the top of the whole was fixed a wreath of gold and precious stones, and within this the symbol of the Saviour’s name, two letters indicating the name of Christ by means of the initial letters, the letter ‘X’ intersection ‘P’ at the centre.”

“The emperor constantly made use of this sign of salvation as a safeguard against every adverse and hostile power, and commanded that others similar to it should be carried at the head of all his armies.”

There are alternative theories of the origin of the Chi Rho, most based on modifications of pagan symbols.  But regardless of its exact origin, the fact is that there is no record of the Chi Rho being used before Constantine, and it became a commonly used Christian symbol after that, especially by soldiers.  After the fall of Rome, the “soldier’s cross” came to represent spiritual warfare as well.

Here is an image of the Chi Rho marking Christian tombs in the catacombs:

On a 5th-century bishop’s gravestone:

As a monogram in the illuminated Book of Kells produced by Celtic monks about 800 AD:

In contemporary liturgical use:

The Chi Rho has been stylized any number of ways over the centuries. Sometimes the P is formed to accentuate its appearance as a sword handle. Sometimes it is formed to look like a shepherd’s crook, to emphasize Jesus as the Good Shepherd.

The Chi Rho is even encoded in Unicode and can be made on a computer keyboard!  It is encoded at U+2627:  ☧

The Chi Rho is a wonderful symbol with a long history of faith, and its origins make it particularly appropriate for men.   See all the Chi Rho items available at CelebrateYourFaith.com.