One of the most important symbols of Christian Heritage is the cross. The cross stands for eternal life, and people from all over the world venerate and respect this symbol. And there are plenty of ways & instances that remind us that Christ is our savior.
One of the ways we do that is by having a headstone made to reflect our beliefs by using appropriate crosses in the design of it.
However, knowing what type of cross you should choose when creating your headstone could be confusing if you have never settled on which kind before because there are actually multiple types with different meanings behind them.
Here’s a guide to help you while going through the wide range of crosses at a Christian store, to select one from the many Christian Crosses.
GREEK CROSS
The Greek cross, also known as the crux immissa quadrata , has arms of equal length, barely longer than the width.
The Greek cross, among a few other Christian crosses, has been commonly used since the 4th century and is widely available in all Christian store.
In antiquity, it served as both a religious symbol and an artistic one—for example, as part of ornaments, clothing, and buildings.
The equal arms on a Greek Cross is known to symbolize the four main elements of nature; air, fire, water, and earth. But coming to the major point, the Greek cross, believed to be a symbol of Christ, has the ancient words of life and light inscribed on it.
LATIN OR ROMAN CROSS
The Latin cross—also known as the crucifix—is the most famous form of the Christian cross, which symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and represents Christian religions across the world.
The defining feature of this cross is its more extended arm at the bottom and it showcases his passion and death on a cross. This is one of the most common Christian crosses, along with the Greek cross.
MALTESE CROSS
The Eight-Pointed Cross is a unique cross that consists of four distinct V shapes pointing inwards, resulting in the eight points of the Eight-Pointed Cross.
The Cross is also called the Maltese Cross, a symbol associated with the Knights Hospitaller Order.
ANKH
The Ankh, also known as crux ansata, the coptic cross, the key of life and the key of Nile, is an Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol that represents life.
Throughout Egyptian literature the Ankh symbolizes life in various depictions & writings. Egyptian artists were said to have used this cross to symbolize life both as a symbol and in written text. The Coptic Orthodox Church used the ankh as a symbol, as well as Egyptian gods and goddesses (including pharaohs).
ORTHODOX CROSS
The Russian Orthodox Cross has so many similarities to the Latin cross.
The other line crossing the horizontal one in a slanted form is to commemorate the two other people that were crucified alongside Jesus Christ.
WOODEN CROSS
A wooden cross has the same meaning as a Latin cross, but with a closer connection to the actual crucifixion of Jesus Christ because the Cross that Jesus was crucified on was made out of wood.
CELTIC CROSS
The Celtic cross has a circle surrounding the center of the four arms and is similar to a Latin cross.
It has the same Christian meaning as the Latin cross but was most commonly found in Ireland, Great Britain, and France during the 9th to 12th centuries. The chances are that you have spotted one in Christian stores among the various Christian crosses on display.
TREE OF LIFE CROSS
The Tree of Life cross is a symbol that represents many things, including ancestry, family, and life.
It explains how everything in this world is connected, one way or another while also representing growth—whether spiritual (growth in one’s faith), physical (growth in one’s body), or mental (growth in one’s intellect).
TAU CROSS
This T-shaped cross that predates Christianity called Tau Cross gets its shape from the Greek letter tau in its upper-case form.
The Tau cross is a particular type of Cross reserved for Saint Anthony, the Father of All Monks. Saint Anthony is said to hold great significance in both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
These are a few of the many types of Christian crosses and their variants. The various symbolisms and depictions of these crosses are taken into consideration for special occasions, religious ceremonies, etc.
The leading Christian store will definitely have all the commonly used crosses and a guide to help you choose one. At La Corona Del Rosario, our store head or the website on offline & online platforms) will give you all the necessary details and information to help you make a decision.
If you would like to shop Christian crosses in Kerala, head over to La Corona Del Rosario’s store or browse through the variants in the comfort of your home.
