Mystic Symbolism: The Cross
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© 2015 Rosicrucian Order, AMORC unless
otherwise noted.
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Sun Wheel pendants dating to the second half of the 2nd millennium BC, found in Zürich, are held at the Swiss National Museum. Variants include a six-­‐‑spoked wheel, a central empty circle, and a second circle with twelve spokes surrounding one of four spokes. AQribution: hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Radanhaenger-­‐‑edited.jpg
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The Tau cross (which looks like a capital T) may have developed from this widespread and ancient symbol of the sun’s solar cross or wheel cross. The Tau Cross is probably what Moses used to lift up the bronze serpent during the Exodus to heal the Israelites who had been biQen by the seraph serpents, as found in the Book of Numbers 21:4-­‐‑9. AQribution: hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Cruz_de_San_Antonio.png
Later, through the 8th Century CE a Nordic variant on the Tau Cross was the Irminsul: very likely related to the World Tree Yggdrasil, a symbol of the axis mundi which connects the underworld, Middle Earth and the upper realms. AQribution: hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Irminsul_pillar_black.svg
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The Egyptian Ankh, constructed of the Tau Cross with an oval loop above it, is a Symbol of eternal life. The Tau section may represent a human being, while the upper loop is the oval egg of eternity. Additionally, the Tau represents masculine energy, while the oval symbolizes feminine energy, with the two in harmonious balance. The Ankh was ubiquitous in Egypt, and was later assimilated by the indigenous Egyptian Christianity, the Coptic Church. Source: Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. Image © 2015 Supreme Grand Lodge, AMORC.
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Although Celtic Crosses today are associated with Christianity, they have older origins. Brighid’s Cross is an equal-­‐‑armed cross traditionally woven from straw in honor of Ireland'ʹs Goddess (and now Saint) Bridget on February 2, the ancient fire festival of Imbolc, and now the Christian Candlemas, also known as The Presentation or the Encounter. Both feasts – ancient and Christian -­‐‑-­‐‑ commemorate in their own way nurturing the new Light born at the Winter Solstice. The great stone Celtic Crosses also combine the Bronze age Sun Circle with the standing cross, and may pre-­‐‑date Christianity.
AQributions: hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BridesCross1.svg; hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:032Galarus_Oratory.JPG; hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Celtic_Art_in_Pagan_and_Christian_Times,_p185.png; hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monasterboice_12.jpg. Ñ
The Early Christian symbols were the fish (the vesica piscis), the shepherd, and other such representations. Christians probably did not start using the Cross as their symbol until the 4th century CE, and in particular with Constantine’s vision of the Labarum or Chi-­‐‑Rho, the monogram of the Christ, which he took as his standard of victory in uniting the Roman Empire under his rule. AQributions: hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vesica_Piscis.svg; hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ichthus.svg; hQp://
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Konstantin_den_stores_labarum,_Nordisk_familjebok.png
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There are many variations of Crosses. In addition to those linked, there is the Ethiopian Cross and the Zia Pueblo Cross seen on the Flag of New Mexico. Source “Evolution of the Primitive Cross”: © 2015 Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC. Ethiopian: hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Ethiopian_Orthodox_priest.jpg. New Mexico: hQp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_New_Mexico.svg