Nearly every day of our lives, no matter where we live in the world, we will see the symbol of the Holy Cross somewhere on our travels. For Christians, the Cross is a symbol of Jesus’s sacrifice for mankind, and Gods love for all. It is a stark reminder of the suffering of Jesus Christ and the Apostles, and what they had to go through in order to spread the word of God. If one considers that Jesus ended the old laws on a cross, and brought forgiveness for mankind into the world, one cannot begin to understand how important the cross has been in the history of the world.
The cross also lets people remember Jesus’s victory over sin and death, since it is believed that through his death and resurrection he conquered death for one and all. There is no other symbol that represents everything that Jesus stood for, the self-sacrifice, the unselfishness of his crucifixion are all represented by the simple symbol of the Holy Cross.
Many Christian religions, especially Catholics, have used the cross during prayer, suffering and even when acing death. Even though the crucifixion was a horrendous and cruel way to die, it let a legacy that will live on till the end of the world. Christian crosses are used at Easter, Christmas and virtually every other Christian Holy day. Since the beginning of Christianity, followers of Christ have carried crosses to give them hope and faith. Nuns and Priests, Pastors and Bishops all wear the cross as a mark of remembrance for their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
There are also many other occasions in the Christian calendar when crosses are at the forefront of the celebrations. These include the Feast of the Cross and the Exaltation of the Cross in the Eastern Orthodox church, (The Catholic Church also has a similar celebration). It is said that the early saints would always have a cross, and saints like St Patrick and St Francis are often depicted in art with their crosses. The Feast of St Brigid is still celebrated in Ireland and many other countries by placing a cross made of straw outside the doors of ones House. In modern times a cross can be placed before a persons name on the local newspaper, if they have died, and of course, crosses are scattered upon graveyards all over the world. One can really see the importance and meaning of such crosses if they are to visit any of the War Cemeteries scattered all over Europe.
