Crosses, How Many Types Are There?

CROSSES, VARIOUS TYPES IN USE BY CHRISTIANS...

Anchor Cross:  is formed when the top part of an anchor is in the shape of a cross. The cross symbolizes the hope Christians have in Christ and the firm faith which keeps Christians steady in the  storms of life. These ideas are based on Hebrews 6:19 which reads, "This hope we have, as a sure and firm anchor of the soul, reaching even behind the veil." During the days when the early church was being persecuted, the Anchor Cross was used by Christians. While Christians saw hope and  strength in the symbol, their enemies saw only an anchor.

St. Andrews Cross: resembles the letter "X" in the English alphabet and is also referred to as the  "saltier" or "Crux Decussata." According to tradition Andrew, the brother of Peter, was crucified on a cross of this shape. Andrew did not feel worthy enough to die on the same style of cross that Christ had died and requested a cross of another shape. His request was granted and he was  crucified upside down on a cross which now bears his name. Rather than using nails to secure his limbs to the cross, Andrew was bound to the cross with ropes. His suffering was thus prolonged. St. Andrew's Cross came into wide use during the Medieval Period and became the national cross of Scotland, since St. Andrew was its patron saint.

Chi-Rho Cross: is composed of the Greek letters Chi (which looks like an English "X" and  sounds like a "ch") and Rho (which looks like an English capital "P" and sounds like an "r"). These  two Greek letters are the first two letters in the Greek word "Christos," translated in English as  "Christ." This symbol has been in use for at least 1,600 years. While fighting to become emperor of  the Roman Empire, Constantine had a dream one night before a battle with Maxentius and his  forces. In the dream Constantine saw the Chi-Rho cross and saw the words "By this sign you will  conquer." Upon awakening, Constantine had the symbol put on his helmet and on his soldiers'  shields. The next day, October 28, 312, Constantine was victorious in battle. He attributed his  success to God and began to favor the Christian church after many years of the church being barely  tolerated or persecuted by the Roman Empire. Obviously the Chi-Rho cross which had existed  before Constantine's time took on a new meaning for Christians after this event.

Graded Cross: is  composed of a Latin Cross resting upon three steps. Another name for this  type of cross is the Calvary Cross. The three steps upon which the cross rests represent, in descending order, faith,  hope and love. These qualities are taken from 1 Cor 13:13 which reads,  "And now faith, hope, and  love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." Typically the  Graded Cross symbolizes  the completion of Christ's redemptive work. Christ has died, risen from the dead and ascended to Heaven where he now reigns.

Greek Cross: it features four arms all of the same length. The resulting symbol looks like a "plus" sign in mathematics. This cross appears in our world in a variety of contexts. The symbol for the  Red Cross is a red Greek Cross. The Greek Cross is associated with Eastern Christianity. Many  scholars have suggested that more complex cross styles derived from the Greek, Latin and Tau  crosses and combinations thereof.

Jerusalem Cross: also known as the Crusaders Cross and the Five-Fold Cross, is comprised  of Greek and Tau crosses. Four Tau crosses meet in the center creating a Greek cross. Four  additional Greek crosses, one in each corner, make a total of five crosses. The symbolism of the  five crosses has been explained in a variety of ways. Here are a few:
* The five crosses represent  the five wounds Jesus received on the cross. The large center cross represents the wound in Jesus'  side while the four smaller crosses represent the wounds he received in his hands and feet.
* The  large center cross represents Jesus and the four smaller crosses represent the four Gospel writers.  
* The four smaller crosses represent the four corners of the earth to which the gospel is being taken or for which Jesus died.
* The five crosses represent the five nations active in the Crusades: Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
* The five crosses represent the five principalities of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Cross was employed as an emblem by the Crusaders. Godfrey de Bouillon, who became the first ruler of Jerusalem after it was captured from the Moslems in 1099, wore the Jerusalem Cross as his symbol.

Latin Cross: is the traditional and most popular form of the cross. The upper arm of the Latin Cross and the two side arms are of equal length while the lower arm is twice as long as any of  the  other three. Tradition has maintained that this was the style of cross upon which Jesus was  crucified. Typically the Latin Cross has been associated with Western Christianity. This particular  cross has also been called the Passion Cross, Cross of Calvary and Holy Rood. The latter designation refers to the Rood screen which separates the nave from the chancel and the congregation from the priests in cathedrals. The Rood screen usually is made of iron or another  metal, or stone or marble, or of carved and painted wood. Above the screen rests a Latin Cross,  typically made of carved wood and beautifully painted or gilded. If no Rood screen exists, a large cross is suspended on the wall and referred to as the Rood cross. The Latin Cross along with the Greek Cross and Tau Cross form the basic shapes used in all other cross designs.

Tau Cross: is so named because it resembles the Greek letter "Tau." Other names for the Tau Cross include the Advent Cross, Anticipatory Cross, Pre-Christian Cross, Old Testament Cross or St. Anthony's Cross. Other cultures have made use of the shape of the Tau Cross. The Egyptian ankh looks like a Tau Cross topped by a loop. The ankh was also called the Cross of Horus and Key of Life. The Phoenicians adapted the shape to form a crude representation of their goddess Astarte. Some speculate that the cross might have been especially meaningful to early Christians because it reminded them of the shape that may have resulted when the Israelites painted their doorposts with blood to escape the death of their first-born (Ex 12:22). Others suggest that the pole Moses placed the bronze serpent upon so that people who had been bitten by snakes might recover was in the shape of the Tau Cross (Num 21:8). Still others have suggested that early Christians used the Tau Cross rather than more obvious cross symbols to avoid persecution. Although the derivation of the Tau Cross is uncertain, it along with the Greek and Latin crosses has provided a basic building block in the development of other cross symbols.