The cross: religious symbol of Christianity

The cross: religious symbol of Christianity, which recalls the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the redeeming benefits of his passion and death. The cross is therefore a sign both of Christ same as that of faith of Christians. In ceremonial usage, making a sign of the cross can be, depending on the context, an act of profession of faith, a prayer, a dedication or a blessing.

Here are four basic types of iconographic representations of the cross: the cross square, or Greek cross, with four equal arms; the cross enter, or Latin cross, whose base stem is longer than the other three arms; the cross commissioner, in the form of the Greek letter tau, sometimes called St. Anthony's cross; and the cross decussate, from the name of the Roman decussis, or symbol of the number 10, also known as the cross of Sant'Andrea for the alleged method of martyrdom of Sant'Andrea Apostolo.

Tradition favors the cross entered like the one on which Christ died, but some believe it was a cross commissioned. The numerous variations and ornaments of processional, altar and heraldic crosses, of carved and painted crosses in churches, cemeteries and elsewhere, are developments of these four types. symbols, religious or otherwise, long before the Christian era, but it is not always clear whether they were merely signs of identification or possession or were significant for the faith and worship.

The cross: a religious and suffering symbol

The cross: religious symbol of Christianity but not only: the cross seems to be not only a religious symbol but also a symbol of suffering. very often it happens to hear this expression " I carry a cross " a banal exclamation actually has a religious purpose. By cross in this case, we mean: a period of suffering, which the Christian is going through. More often than not, when you suffer, you prefer not to open up to others. What does the Gospel of the cross of suffering? The gospel teaches us that: after a long period of suffering, the reward always comes. That is after darkness always comes the sun!

From the mid-nineteenth century, churches Anglican, have witnessed a revival of the use of the cross. The crucifix, however, it is almost entirely confined to private devotional use. A number of churches and houses Protestants they show an empty cross, without a depiction of Christ, to commemorate the crucifixion while representing the triumphant defeat of death in the resurrection.