Cross Tattoos – What they mean!
For thousands of years crosses have been used as religious symbols and memorials to loved ones so it is no surprise that cross tattoos enjoy a never ending popularity in most cultures world-wide.
However cross tattoos were in use long before they were made popular by religious groups. Ancient tribes believed the cross had special powers and by placing a cross tattoo on their body those powers would be transferred to the person wearing the image. Other cultures used cross tattoos as symbol of power and leadership. In Egypt a cross symbol known as an ankh played an important role in society and the Celtic’s used a cross with a circle around it to identify themselves.
Romans used the cross as a way to torture and kill criminals by nailing them to one and putting them on public display as a warning to others. When they used this method to kill their most famous prisoner (Jesus Christ) the cross took on a whole new meaning as a symbol of faith for the followers of Christ who became known as Christians.
Roman authorities considered Christians to be troublemakers and outlaws so the Christians had cross tattoos inked on their bodies so other members of the society would recognize them. Sometimes the tattoo crosses were hidden in other images so they would not draw too much attention and get the wearer arrested. Today the Christian cross is the most recognized religious symbol in the world.
Christian Cross Tattoos:
Cross of the Resurrection: A simple wooden cross that has a crown of thorns on top and a purple robe hanging from the horizontal bar. The inscription reads “I.N.R.I” which means “Jesus Christ of Nazareth, King of the Jews”.
Latin Cross Tattoos: A basic wood cross with a vertical bar and a horizontal bar approximately 1/3 down from the top.
Crucifix: Similar to the Latin cross but with an image of Christ hanging on the cross. Popular with Catholics but criticized by fundamentalist Christians because they believe Christ was resurrected and is no longer on the cross.
Cross of Triumph: Also looks like the Latin cross except it has a large circle at the bottom with an upside down T inside the circle. It represents the triumphant spread of the Gospel around the world.
Graded Cross Tattoos: The Latin cross with three steps at the bottom which represent faith, love, and hope.
Russian Orthodox Cross: Another version of the Latin cross with two additional lines, one above the horizontal bar and the other travels left to right above the bar.
Tau Cross: This cross preceded the Latin cross and is shaped like a T. In the Greek language the letter “t” is pronounced as Tau.
Crusader’s Cross: Is composed of five Tau crosses, four of them facing each other in a circle and the fifth one inside the circle. Each of the T’s represent one of the wounds Jesus suffered when he was crucified. It is called the Crusader cross because many of the knights wore it during their crusades.
Maltese Cross: Is another crusader cross which looks like a star with eight points. The points are achieved by placing four triangles together to form the star.
Cross of Iona: This is a Celtic cross used by Christians in Europe in the sixth century A.D. and is often used in cross tattoos. It looks like a Latin cross with a small circle placed at the intersection of the arms of the cross.
Anchor Cross: A Christian cross that is worn by many sailors.
St. Andrew’s Cross: This cross is different because it looks like an X. Apparently St. Andrew chose to be buried on it because he did not feel worthy of being placed on a Latin cross like Christ.
Other Cross Tattoos:
Equilateral Cross: A Pagan cross that used to worship the sun and represents the God Anu.
Mesoamerica Cross: Used by natives to worship their Gods. The cross represents the tree of life and the four winds.
Chinese Cross Tattoos: The Chinese believe that God created the earth in the shape of a cross so the word earth is closely related to the word cross.
Ankh Cross: Known as the key of life the Ankh cross (which is sometimes called the Handled Cross) originates in Egypt. Examples of the cross have been found painted on the walls of tombs.
Swastika Cross: Although it was made famous by Hitler in Germany the Swastika has appeared throughout history in all countries and most religions.
Gothic Cross Tattoos: Sometimes called Vampire crosses they are usually constructed of wrought iron and have a dark or Gothic culture image.
Aztec Cross Tattoos: Popular with star gazers this cross looks a flower with four petals facing in different directions. Legend has it that the Aztec Cross can influence eclipses.
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