Patriarchal cross
Webster's 1913 dictionary defines the patriarchial cross as "a cross, the shaft of which is intersected by two transverse beams, the upper one being the smaller."
The patriarchal cross resembles a Latin cross with a smaller crossbar placed above the main one, so that both crossbars are near the top. Sometimes the patriarchal cross has a short, slanted crosspiece near its foot. It often appears in Byzantine, Greek and Russian iconography, and in Eastern Orthodox churches. It is also found on silver pennies of Cnut minted at York, England c AD900.
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The top beam represents the plaque bearing the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" (often abbreviated in the Latinate "INRI"). A popular view is that the slanted bottom beam is a foot rest, however there is no evidence of foot rests ever being used during crucifixion and it has a deeper meaning. The bottom beam actually represents a balance of justice. Some sources suggest that, as one of the thieves being crucified with Jesus accepted him and was thus lifted into Heaven, the other thief rejected and mocked Jesus and would therefore descend into Hell.
Other variations
The Eastern Orthodox cross (also known as Crux Orthodoxa, the Byzantine cross, the Eastern cross, and the Russian cross) can be considered a modified version of the Patriarchal cross. This cross always has a slanted crossbar near the bottom (with the left side usually being higher, or having negative slope) and the top bar is noticeably smaller and thinner. The most likely explanation of the slanted crossbar would suggest the Cross Saltire, as tradition holds that the Apostle St. Andrew introduced Christianity to Russia. The Latin word "crux" is derived from "cruciare", meaning to torture.
The Cross of Lorraine differs from the patriarchal cross because it has two horizontal bars of equal length placed with the lower bar located close to the bottom and the upper bar close to the top. On the Patriarchal cross on the other hand, one bar is noticeably smaller and placed above the main bar.
A patriarchal cross variant appears on the primatial staff (similar to a crozier) of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
See also
- Cross of Lorraine
- Coat of Arms of Slovakia (describes the meaning of the cross and how the patriarchal cross probably became the cross of Lorraine)
Categories
Eastern Orthodoxy | Christian symbols | Cross symbols