Michael Brooks
The cross is a principal symbol of Christianity, recalling the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the benefits of his Passion and death. The cross is a sign of Christ and of the faith of Christians. The symbol has been used by Christians since at least the 2nd century, and it is particularly important in the Catholic Church, where it is often displayed above the altar. The Feast of the Holy Cross is an important Catholic feast commemorating Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection. The use of the cross as a symbol has a complicated history, as it has also been used as a symbol of persecution, violence, and racism.
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What You'll Learn
The cross as a Christian symbol
The cross is a principal symbol of Christianity, recalling the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the redeeming benefits of his Passion and death. The cross is thus a sign of both Christ himself and of the faith of Christians.
The use of the cross as a Christian symbol dates back to at least the 2nd century, as indicated in the anti-Christian arguments cited in the Octavius of Minucius Felix, written at the end of the 2nd century or the beginning of the 3rd. By the early 3rd century, the cross had become so closely associated with Christ that Clement of Alexandria could use the phrase τὸ κυριακὸν σημεῖον (the Lord's sign) to refer to the cross.
During the first three centuries of the Christian era, the cross was considered "a symbol of minor importance" compared to its prominence in later centuries. Early Christians were reluctant to portray the cross because it was a shameful form of execution for criminals. However, by the second century, it was already a tradition for Christians to repeatedly trace the sign of the cross on their foreheads as a talisman against the powers of demons.
In the early fourth century, Emperor Constantine legalised Christianity and authorised the excavation of some of the holy sites of Christ's life. The Feast of the Holy Cross, or the Exaltation of the Cross, is an important Christian feast celebrated by Catholics and some other Christian churches. It commemorates Jesus Christ's life, especially his salvific death on the cross and his later Resurrection, which Christians believe offers them the promise of forgiveness and eternal life.
The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to as the corpus (Latin for "body"). The crucifix emphasises Jesus' sacrifice and his death by crucifixion, which Christians believe brought about the redemption of mankind. Most crucifixes portray Jesus on a Latin cross, with unequal arms, rather than a Tau cross or a Coptic cross. The crucifix is a principal symbol for many groups of Christians, especially in the Catholic Church, but it is less common in churches of other Protestant denominations.
The cross has also taken on darker meanings at times, becoming a symbol of persecution, violence, and even racism. For example, the Ku Klux Klan often burned plain wooden crosses on the lawns of African Americans, Jews, or Catholics as part of their terror campaign.
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The cross as a Catholic symbol
The cross is a symbol that has been used by many civilisations throughout history, including ancient Egyptians and early Christians. However, in the modern day, it is predominantly recognised as a symbol of Christianity.
The cross symbolises the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and the benefits of his Passion and death. It is a sign of Christ himself, as well as the faith of Christians. The use of the cross as a Christian symbol dates back to at least the 2nd century, and by the 3rd century, it had become so closely associated with Christ that it was referred to as "the Lord's sign".
The cross is a particularly important symbol in the Catholic Church, where it is often displayed in the form of a crucifix—a cross that includes a corpus, or a representation of Jesus' body. In Catholic countries, it is common to see a skull and crossbones below the corpus on a crucifix, which refers to Golgotha (Calvary), the site at which Jesus was crucified.
Catholics view the crucifix as the perfect fulfilment of the serpent created by Moses in Numbers 21:8-9, called the Nehushtan. It was promised that sinners who looked upon the Nehushtan would be healed. This is reflected in the readings on Exaltation of the Cross, which occurs annually on September 14 in the Catholic Church.
Large crucifixes are often displayed above altars in Catholic churches, in accordance with the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, which states that "on or close to the altar there is to be a cross with a figure of Christ crucified". Many Catholics also hang a crucifix inside their homes, and use it as a focal point of a home altar.
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The history of the cross
The cross is a Christian symbol that represents the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the faith of Christians. The use of the cross as a Christian symbol dates back to at least the 2nd century, and by the 3rd century, it had become so closely associated with Christ that phrases like "the Lord's sign" were used to refer to it. During the first three centuries of the Christian era, the cross was considered a "symbol of minor importance" compared to its prominence in later centuries.
The earliest crucifixes, or crosses containing a representation of Christ, depicted him alive with eyes open and arms extended, even though he was pierced and dead. By the 9th century, artists began to emphasize the realistic aspects of Christ's suffering and death. Romanesque crucifixes often depicted Christ with a royal crown, while later Gothic types replaced it with a crown of thorns.
The basic forms of the cross are the Latin cross with unequal arms and the Greek cross with equal arms. There are numerous variants, some with confessional significance, such as the tau cross, the double-barred cross, and the triple-barred cross. The many variations of processional, altar, and heraldic crosses found in churches, graveyards, and elsewhere are developments of these four types.
The Feast of the Cross, or the Exaltation of the Cross, is an important Christian feast celebrated by Catholics and Orthodox Catholics on September 14. It commemorates the consecration of the basilica on the site where the original cross of Jesus was reportedly discovered in 326 by Helena of Constantinople, the mother of Constantine the Great.
While the cross is a predominant symbol of Christ and Christianity, it has also been used in divisive ways. During the High Middle Ages, the cross became connected with a series of religious wars waged from Christian Europe to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim rulers. The symbol has also been co-opted by hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, which has used cross-burnings as part of its terror campaign against African Americans, Jews, and Catholics.
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The cross and the Ku Klux Klan
The cross is the principal symbol of Christianity, recalling the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the benefits of his Passion and death. It is a sign of Christ and of the faith of Christians. In ceremonial usage, making the sign of the cross may be an act of profession of faith, a prayer, a dedication, or a benediction.
The cross has also been co-opted by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), a violent, white supremacist organization. The KKK was first founded in 1865 during the Reconstruction of the South after the Civil War. The group aimed to restore white supremacy through the use of violence and intimidation against Black people and their allies. The second iteration of the KKK was founded in 1915 by William Joseph Simmons, based on the film 'The Birth of a Nation', which glorified the original Klan. This new Klan adopted costumes, robes, and the burning of crosses, which were all introduced in Thomas Dixon's 1905 book, 'The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan', on which the film was based.
The burning cross became an important ritual of group solidarity for the KKK. Cross burnings were often accompanied by the singing of songs like "Onward Christian Soldiers" and "The Old Rugged Cross". These rituals were used to terrorize African Americans, Roman Catholics, Jews, and other groups hated by the Klan. Cross burnings were also employed to express opposition to desegregated schools during the civil rights era of the 1950s and to show support for political candidates.
The use of the cross by the KKK has been a source of controversy and intimidation. While the cross is a sacred symbol for Christians, the KKK has co-opted and distorted its meaning to promote their own hateful and violent agenda. This misuse of the cross has been a subject of legal debates, with several states passing laws banning cross burnings due to their association with intimidation and expressions of racial hatred.
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The cross and the Resurrection
The cross is a principal symbol of the Christian faith, recalling the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and his subsequent Resurrection. The cross is a sign of Christ himself, and of the faith of Christians.
The use of the cross as a Christian symbol dates back to at least the 2nd century, as indicated in the anti-Christian arguments cited in the Octavius of Minucius Felix, written at the end of the 2nd century or the beginning of the next. By the early 3rd century, the cross had become so closely associated with Christ that Clement of Alexandria could use the phrase "the Lord's sign" to refer to it. Christians also began to use the marking of a cross upon the forehead and chest as a talisman against demons.
The cross is related to the crucifix, a specific form of the cross that includes a corpus, or a representation of Jesus' body. The basic forms of the cross are the Latin cross with unequal arms, and the Greek cross with equal arms. There are numerous variants, some with confessional significance, and many heraldic variants.
The cross is a symbol of Christ's crucifixion and the redeeming benefits of his Passion and death. It also represents the Resurrection, and Christ's triumph over death. Christians may make the sign of the cross as an act of profession of faith, a prayer, a dedication, or a benediction.
In Mark's Gospel, Jesus is recorded as crying out on the cross, quoting Psalm 22:1: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). Jesus' final work on the cross was to absorb all of the world's forsakenness. He was aware that his death would be overcome in a few days, yet the misunderstanding, mockery, and desertion continue to this day.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the cross is a symbol of Catholicism. It is also the principal symbol of Christianity, representing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
The cross has been a symbol of Christianity since the 2nd century, though it was initially a "symbol of minor importance". By the 3rd century, it had become so closely associated with Christ that it was referred to as "the Lord's sign". During the Middle Ages, small crucifixes were hung in the living quarters of monks and clergy, and eventually in the homes of everyday Christians.
Catholics often hang crucifixes inside their homes and use them as a focal point of a home altar. In Catholic churches, a crucifix is usually placed above the altar on the wall. The Feast of the Holy Cross is an important Catholic feast day, commemorating the life of Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection.
