The following is a guest article. Frank Viola did not write it.
The cross is a powerful symbol of the Christian faith that symbolizes the values of God’s love, salvation through atonement, and selfless sacrifice. Thus,wearing any kind of jewelry that features a cross automatically becomes a sacred and meaningful symbol of the Christian faith.
The meaning behind wearing a silver or gold cross pendant varies from person to person. While many wear a gold cross around their neck as a declaration of faith, others may do so for its symbolism or aesthetic qualities.
Regardless, gold cross jewelry items are gaining increasing popularity with every passing day. But, not all jewelry items featuring a cross look the same. Rather, there is quite a lot of diversity in the cross symbols and meaning.
Popular Cross Symbols in Jewelry
No matter the reason behind wearing a cross jewelry item, the symbol was first derived from the Romans and Christians adopted the symbol as their own after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.Throughout the years, the cross symbols have evolved. Let’s see five cross symbols that are popular in jewelry.
1. Crucifix Cross
A crucifix is a regular Roman cross, except that it depicts the image of Jesus’ body or corpus on the vertical arm of the cross.Whereas a plain cross without the corpus of Jesus represents the resurrection of Jesus—as depicted by an empty cross, the crucifix represents the death, atonement, and suffering of Jesus, which is most often used by Roman Catholics. It is a popular cross symbol that continues to be used in art, architecture, and of course, jewelry. A crucifix especially emphasizes the crucifixion of Jesus and acts as a reminder of the Lord’s love for His people.
Eastern orthodox churches and Roman Catholics are the most prominent users of this cross symbol. But it is also a popular design for those seeking a silver orgold crosswant to depict the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in their jewelry.
2. Ankh Cross
The Ankh cross is one of the oldest gold crosses of all time. Translating to ‘the key/cross of life,’ the ankh cross symbol was popular among ancient Egyptians.
Egyptians believed the ankh cross symbolized immortality or life after death. But today, the symbol means fertility, gender fluidity, transformation, and respect for the dead.
3. Orthodox Cross
The Orthodox cross is also becoming more and more popular day by day. This cross typically features two additional beams in the horizontal position. The first beam is the shortest, representing the signage on the cross.
The beam in the middle is the widest, representing the area of Jesus’ nailing. On the other hand, the beam at the bottom that is slanted upwards is symbolic of the footrest.
4. Tau Cross
Tau crosses feature an uppercase T shape with expanded edges on all three ends. Since ancient times, the Tau cross symbol represents life and resurrection.
The Tau symbol is popular in the jewelry world, especially Christian jewelry pieces. Christians like wearing Tau cross pendants in connection with their ancient symbolism and faith in Jesus’ resurrection and promise of eternal life.
5. Celtic Cross
Celtic gold crosses feature a simple cross with a circular ring around the point of intersection (where the four planks meet). Although it is hard to interpret the meaning of this cross symbol, it is still a popular one used in jewelry.
Celtic cross jewelry may represent the pagan sun god who looks great in silver or gold metal. Many people believe it to be an invention of St. Patrick, who wanted to symbolize Christ’s light.
Choose a Cross Symbol According to Your Beliefs
Each of the crosses mentioned above symbols has a different meaning and background. While all are trendy in modern jewelry fashion, choosing one that holds meaning for you can make all the difference.
The above is a guest article. Frank Viola did not write it.
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