Cross is the most common symbol of Christianity. It represents the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Christians believe that Jesus’ Crucifixion played a central role in redeeming humanity from its sins, and they regard the cross as a sign of redemption. Various groups of Christians have adopted different styles of crosses. Roman Catholics and Protestants chiefly use the Latin cross. This cross is a vertical post with a shorter horizontal crosspiece above the center. Many Eastern Orthodox Churches use the Greek cross, which has four arms of equal length.
During the first 300 years after Christ’s death, Christians feared persecution by the hostile Roman government and rarely displayed the cross in public. In the 300’s, the Romans began to tolerate Christianity, and crosses were widely displayed. During the early Middle Ages, Christian artists made crosses as symbols of the Christian belief in the Resurrection of Christ. Many of these crosses portrayed the risen Christ wearing priestly clothes and a royal crown. Later, Christians began to emphasize the sufferings of Jesus in crucifixes. A crucifix is a cross with an image of the dying Jesus.
Crosses have a number of uses in Christian worship. A cross on a staff is carried in many processions. During some ceremonies, members of the clergy or worshipers trace the shape of a cross with a hand or certain fingers. Cathedrals and many churches have floor plans based on the shape of the Latin cross.
