The well known Celtic cross and Celtic Christianity is a thing of beauty and is also a possessor of very many meanings. In appearence, it resembles a traditional Christian cross but with a circle drawn around the joints of the two arms of the cross. It is also regularly referred to as the Irish Cross or sometimes the Cross of Iona (both an island and a Gaelic name).
One meaning that is possible is the cross is the unity of two types of belief systems. The cross symbolizes Christian faith, while the circle symbolizes a pagan moon Goddess. This coincides with the Irish legend of St. Patrick introducing this symbol when he converted the pagan people of the Emerald Isle. Some also say that the circle actually represents the Sun, another strong image in the pagan belief system.
Many times, the cross and circle shape is only just part of the picture. Complex designs and carvings are prominent on Celtic crosses. One such design is an interweaving thread, actually interviewing figures of eight, which symbolize order, chaos, death and rebirth. As you can see, four again.
The image, in some form or another, certainly dates back long-long before Christianity. The reason is, that a cross has arms facing in four directions. This could mean the four elements, four navigational directions, and so on. The circle is yet another ancient symbol, associated with perfection, even the ancient Egyptians have used it in their designs.
Regretfully, in modern times the symbol has been abused, and taken by radical political parties. Commonly they simplify the cross and circle motif by just drawing a circle with a plus sign inside, extending outward (regularly referred to as the sun cross). The link between the emblem and radicalism has become so strong that in Italy they have banned it from being publicly displayed in stadiums.
In many parts of the United Kingdom, you will see free standing crosses in churchyards and in places where one would not expect to find a scared symbol. These Celtic Crosses is a symbol that combines the Latin cross of long stem and two arms with a circle on the inside of the stem joining the stem and the arms. The crosses are all made of stone and have very elaborate carvings. Many of these crosses that exist toady date back to as early as the 7th centuries when Irish missionaries began erecting them in Ireland. In time, as Christianity spread, the crosses also spread so that today you will find them in England, Scotland and Wales although they are most prevalent in Ireland.
Kildalton High Cross is the oldest surviving Celtic cross in Scotland. It is believed to date back to 800 A.D. and has elaborate carvings in its blue stone. The biblical scene on the front of the cross depicts the Virgin and Child, while there are carvings of other Bible scenes on the rest of the cross, such as David and the lion. There are also carvings of animals. The Kilchoman Cross stands in the churchyard of the village of Kilchoman and dates back to about 1400 A.D.
In Cornwall, crosses show the places where missionaries stopped and prayed.
* Halwyn Wayside Cross
* Cardingham Churchyard. This cross possibly dates back to the 10th century. It is an excellent example of a wheeled Celtic cross.
* Laneast. This cross dates back to the 10th century and has the circle on the outside of the arms.
* St. Kew's Cross. This stands in the churchyard of the St. Kew Church, but was discovered in 1924 as part of a footbridge.
* St. Pillack's wheel-headed cross. This cross has the carving of a strange figure on the back
A number of crosses and slabs of rock with crosses carved into them have been found on the Isle of Man. You can see Celtic crosses either free standing or carved on stone at the following places:
* Kirk Andreas
* Kirk Ballaugh
* Kirk Bradden
* Kirk Lezayre
* Kirk Lonan
* Kirk Maughold
* Kirk Michael
* Kirk Onchan
St. Brynach's Cross had Celtic knotwork on both the crown and the pillar. This variation of the cross evolved and was most common in the 8th to the 10th centuries. You can see this cross at Nevern Dyfed, Wales.
In Ireland, places where you can see the Celtic cross are:
* Monastery Clonmacnois in central Ireland
* Muiredach Cross in Monasterboice, County Louth
* Clonfert
* Faheen, County Kilkenny
* Killorglin, County Kerry
There have also been variations of these crosses. The Trinity cross also displays some of the intricate carvings of the Celtic cross. The first free standing cross were also called Croes Hir, which means Long Cross. They were craved as cross heads on a pillar and the arms were well supported by the circle. Muiredach's cross is one example of a cross carved with elaborate designs of Scriptural passages and Biblical scenes.
Both Martin Mallett & Warren Wong are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Martin Mallett has sinced written about articles on various topics from Silver Jewelry, Beauty Tips and Silver Jewelry. Martin Mallett is the webmaster and owner of www.shop4silver.co.uk - a UK based and family run online store with a new and exciting range of