At first, the cross was the symbol of Christianity. It began to appear in the Christian Church in 431 and was erected on the top of the church in 586. Originally, the cross was the instrument of execution of prisoners, usually used to kill rebels, infidels, slaves, and people without civil rights.
Today, the cross has become a symbol of Christian faith, rather than a symbol of pain and shame. Catholics and Orthodox Christians draw or wear crosses on their chests in order to strengthen their faith, to purify, or to commemorate the death of Jesus to save all mankind.
Many people like to wear a ring with a cross, which is an expression of their religious beliefs. Now, whether you have religious beliefs or not, cross rings can also be worn as simple fashion accessories, such as some beautiful diamond cross rings and sterling silver cross rings.
Types of Cross Rings
Latin cross is one of the most common crosses in Christianity. It consists of two beams, one long and one short. The vertical one is longer than the horizontal one. The vertical one symbolizes the kingdom of God, the horizontal one symbolizes the human world, and the intersection of the two symbolizes the unity of heaven and the world. Catholicism and Protestants, mostly use the Latin cross, which is also the longitudinal cross used by the church now. They believed that it was on this cross that Christ suffered.
The Patriarchal cross, also known as the Byzantine cross, is a variant of the Christian Cross. Similar to the Latin cross, but with a small bar above. In Byzantine Greek and Eastern European cross symbols, there will be a small bar under the Patriarchal cross, which is also one of the symbols commonly used by the Orthodox Church.
Cross of Lorraine
The cross of Lorraine is similar to the Patriarchal cross. The most important feature of the cross of Lorraine is that it has a small bar more than the general cross. It represents a small wooden card with four Latin letters INRI written on the cross where Jesus was crucified. The cross of Lorraine is referred to as the real cross (crux Vera). Since 1099, the Duke of Lorraine in France began to use it as the emblem of the Lorraine family. In the Second World War, General de Gaulle adopted the cross as the emblem of the French resistance and the symbol of Free France.
Celtic Cross (Irish: Ross cheilteach) is a symbol of a cross with a ring at the central intersection. In the early days, Celtic Cross usually refers to a kind of stone tablet standing on the base of a cube called a high cross. The ring in the stone tablet is used as a tool to strengthen the connection of limbs. The early high cross had a broad and simple front, and many animal designs were engraved on it; later, the surface was engraved with inscriptions from poetry.
Key of Life (Ankh)
The key of life, also known as Ankh, is the letter of Egyptian hieroglyphs. The Greek letter "t" was also regarded as a symbol of life and resurrection by the ancient Greeks. This symbol is a bit like the T-shaped character with a ring of handles above it. It is a symbol of life and royalty. Some ancient Egyptian gods hold the circle of Key of life, or hold it in each hand, and cross their hands on their chests. In Latin, it is called crux Ansata, which means "cross with a handle".
Ankh is a symbol of life and eternity. It is said that this protective treasure can prevent disasters and magic, and help the wearer win the victory of love and war. People use it to pray for eternal health, love, and wealth, as well as nostalgia for the mysterious primitive civilization.
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