Celtic Crosses & Meanings
The Celtic cross has been in evidence since Christianity began sweeping through the ancient British Isles. It usually appears as a Christian cross covered in swirling Celtic knots. The arms of the cross are connected by a perfect circle, also usually decorated with Celtic knots. However, the Celtic cross does not just represent Christianity. At its core, the Celtic cross is a combination of Christian and Druidic beliefs, a combination that was both necessary and practical.
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Saint Patrick
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The most famous legend explaining the Celtic cross's origins has to do with Saint Patrick, an Irish Catholic priest that took it upon himself to convert Celtic pagans to Christianity. Legend has it that one day while he was preaching to a group of Irish pagans, he drew the Christian cross on a standing stone, then drew a circle around it to represent the Celtic goddess of the moon. This showed the pagans that Saint Patrick was willing to combine and tolerate their faith as long as they were willing to accept Christ as their god and proclaim themselves Christian. The story says that this tactic worked and the symbol of the encircled cross began to take root.
Christian Symbolism
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Although tales of how the Celtic cross came to be combine both pagan and Christian symbols, many Christians see the circle as a symbol of Christ's eternal love wrapped around the symbol of his sacrifice for his followers. Others believe the circle represents the halo of light that surrounds the heads of the divine. It may also represent the eternal existence of Christ's promise of salvation and heaven for those that believe in him and his sacrifice.
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Pagan Symbolism
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Many Christian and pagan symbols shift back and forth between belief systems, especially in places where paganism and Christianity co-existed for long periods of time as in the British Isles. The Celtic cross is no exception. As a pagan symbol, the cross usually sported four arms of equal length that represented the four major elements: earth, air, fire and water. The place where the arms crossed represented the fifth element of spirit. According to Fantasy Ireland, the arms also represented the four sacred parts of human beings: mind, soul heart and body, with the center still representing spirit. The cross was also a Celtic symbol of protection, believed to block negativity and prevent physical attack. The circle surrounding the cross either represents the moon goddess in her fullest form or the sun god; sometimes it represents both, encompassing the male and female deities of the sky.
Celtic Knots
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Though not always depicted this way, the majority of Celtic crosses are also covered with complicated patterns of Celtic knots. Little is known about these knots and their symbolism, though according to Celt Arts they may have been a kind of language to the Celtic people. They appear on many Celtic structures, standing stones, inside burial chambers and on clothing. Those depicted on the Celtic cross usually form a three-pointed or three-armed triskele at the ends of the arms. Some designs combine Celtic knots with story symbols like a dove where the arms cross and a chalice at the base of the cross with the knots flowing into it to represent the path of Christ's blood.
Appearances
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The modern Celtic cross appears on countless pieces of jewelry as pendants and charms, as decoration on pieces of clothing and on the covers of many Bibles. In the ancient world, the Celtic cross was usually carved from stone. Some crosses were carved into the face of a standing stone, leaving the rest of the stone intact. Others were carved from the stone, with stone being chipped away to leave only the cross behind. Many examples of these pieces still stand across Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom today.
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References
- Photo Credit Celtic cross image by Peter Helin from Fotolia.com
