Confirmation Crosses and Crucifixes

Confirmation Crosses and Crucifixes

The Cross is the most well known religious symbol of Christianity as it represents the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  The Crucifix, also a cross, is even more dramatic in that it entails the body of Jesus upon the cross which a simple cross does not.
           
There are many stories involving the cross.  It is often referred to as the tree of life symbol.  One story involves the history of the wood of the cross having in some way come from the very wood of the tree of life in the Garden of Eden.
Perhaps the most well known story is that of St. Helena, mother of Constantine, finding the cross.
           
Constantine became emperor of Rome in 308 and at that time ordered that Helena be honored as a member of the Imperial court.  Helena embraced Christianity after her son's victory over Maxentius and in the year 324 made a pilgrimage to Palestine where she sought to find the cross of Jesus.  Helena was a generous woman who assisted the poor and destitute.  There was a temple honoring the Greek goddess, Venus, near the sight of Jesus' tomb on Calvary.  When Helena ordered the temple torn down three crosses were found buried beneath it.  According to legend, two of the crosses did not produce any miraculous findings but the third cured a woman of illness the instant she touched it. Declaring this to be the True Cross of Christ, St. Helena ordered the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to be built upon that sight. It stands today.  It is said that St. Helena also found the nails used in Jesus' Crucifixion.  She placed one in Constantine's helmet and another in the bridle of his horse to protect him from harm ─ which, legends holds that they did.  Helena's feast day is August 18.
           
It is not known when the first cross was created.  After circles, crosses were one of the first symbols drawn by all cultures.  There are many cross shaped icons and while the Christian cross is the most popular, crosses come in many venues.

            The Christian Cross, known as the tree of life symbol
            The ankha is an ancient Egyptian symbol of life and fertility
            The Coptic cross relates to the early Gnostic Christians of Egypt.
            The sunwheel or Odin's cross is a symbol of Norse mythology and was used through Native American culture to represent the great Medicine Wheel.
             Celtic Crosses are commonly found in Ireland and Great Britain in Churches and graveyards.

             The Canterbury Cross has four arms of equal length which widen to hammer shapes at each end.  Each arm symbolizes the Trinity.  The Anglo-Saxon original date from 859 A.D.

             The Crucifix represents Jesus' body hanging from the cross and so emphasizes Christ's sacrifice in his death by crucifixion.  The Crucifix is primarily used in the Catholic Church, the Anglican and Eastern Orthodox.

             The Greek Cross used by Eastern Orthodoxy has arms of equal length

                The Cross of St. Florian is an emblem of the fire service
The round version is used by fire services while the square is found on badges.
             The Eastern Cross is used in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches of Byzantine rite. The top line represents the headboard and the bottom slanted represents the foot and Jesus' agony and is raised on the left side to commerate the thief on Jesus' left who said 'remember me when you come into your kingdom'.  This represents the victory of good over evil.  The letters IC XC represent the name of Jesus.

             Made by St. Brigid and used as an instrument of conversion.  Today the cross is used to protect houses from fire.

              The Chi-Rho Emblem of St. Constantine I

               The Lorraine Cross, Symbol of St. Joan of Arc

              The Marian Cross included n the coat of arms of Pope John Paul II emphasizes devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
                The Papal Cross represents the Pope's triple responsibility as Bishop of Rome, Patriarch of the West and Successor of St. Peter, Chief of the Apostles.

               Presbyterian Cross used by the Presbyterian Church

            Symbol of the Red Cross, medical care of the world

               St. Thomas Cross, the Patriarch of India

              St. Andrew's Cross.  It is also called a 'saltire', a boundary cross because Roman soldiers used it as a barrier

              St. George's Cross is also the national flag of England

                St. Peter's Cross is an inverted Latin Cross designed to commerate his request to be crucified upside down because he did not belief he was worthy to be crucified in the same manner as Jesus Christ.

               The Mariner's Cross is shaped to include an anchor.  It is also known as 'St. Clement's Cross' pertaining to the manner in which he was martyred.
              The Serbian Cross is the national, religious and ethnic symbol of Serbs and Serbia.

Examples of Crosses or Crucifixes suitable for confirmation gifts.
Diamond Cross Confirmation Pendant   R41535D

 
Journey to the Cross Confirmation Pendant 

 R41728   Scripture Quote.."You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has  promised." Hebrews 10:35-36

Tri-Color Confirmation Crucifix w/Shroud PendantR42101

Confirmation Cross PendantR41293   

Confirmation Crucifix PendantR41571

First Communion & Masterpiece Collection  Cross for Confirmation
                                 Celtic Cross  SS642     SS7642 wc     VD7642 wc