The Cross in Ritual, Architecture and Art

by Geo. S. Tyack

The adoption of national symbols was but the inevitable extension of these practices, consequent on the nation, and not the tribe, coming to be recognized as the political unit; and thus we get the Roman Eagle, the White Horse of the Saxons, the Black Raven of the Danes, and the countless national emblems of more modern times.

A closer analogy to the use of the cross meets us when we recall how, in all ages, the gods have been suggested to their worshippers by signs and symbols. The thunderbolts of Jove, the lyre of Apollo, the caduceus of Mercury, the hammer of Thor, are all obvious examples.

It may be true that many of these took their rise at a time when letters were almost unknown save to the learned few, and thus the emblem appealed to those to whom written words were meaningless. Yet as learning spreads to the masses of the people, the popularity of significant tokens does not decrease, but man gives a natural welcome to that which, by a few strokes or a simple outline, sums up for him the expression of a great truth.

And what figure is so expressive of the Christian faith as the hallowed symbol of the Cross? To the ignorant as clearly as the learned it tells of the sufferings which purchased our redemption, of the life of sorrow and death of agony voluntarily undergone by the God-Man. In the light of that Redeemer’s own teaching, it speaks of the life of self-abnegation, the daily cross-bearing, to which His followers are pledged; and to the faithful it foretells also that flashing of the “Sign of the Son of Man” across the heavens which shall announce the end of earthly time. The Christians’ faith, the Christians’ life, the Christians’ hope, all are summed up and symbolized in that one most sacred sign—the Holy Cross.

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Index.

Abbot’s Way, Dartmoor, [107]
Abingdon, [72]
Absolution, Cross of, [40]
Aix-la-Chapelle, Cross at, [23]
Alpine Crosses, [88]
Altar Cross, [45];
Genevan opposition to, [46]
Ampney Crucis, [57]
Angelico, Fra, [26]
Archbishop’s Cross, [36]
Argyle, Duke of, Executed, [70]
Arms of Commonwealth, [13]
Arms of Modern States, with Cross, [12]
Aston Rogers, [115]
Athanasius, S., quoted, [30]
Augustine, S., quoted, [32]
Aylburton Cross, [110]
Badges, Cruciform, of Orders of Merit, [12]
Baptismal Cross, [33]
Benedict Biscop, S., [20]
Bennet’s Cross, Dartmoor, [107]
Bisley, [114]
Bitterley Cross, [57]
Books, burning of, [82]
Boundary Crosses, [107]
Boxley, Rood of Grace at, [50]
Bristol Cross, [70]
Broadwood Widger, [62]
Bromboro, [110]
Buckland Abbey, [107]
Burythorpe, [110]
Catacombs, Cross in, [4];
Crucifix in, [20]
Catechumens signed, [32]
Charing Cross, [92]
Chasubles, marked with Cross, [55]
Cheapside Cross, [92]
Chester, High Cross, [72];
Roodee, [51]
Chichester, [75]
Childe’s Tomb, [104]
Chipping Campden, [76]
Chosroes captures True Cross, [8]
Chrysostom, S., quoted, [29]
Churches surmounted with crosses, [6]
Churchyard Crosses, [56];
Restoration of, [61]
Cicero on Crucifixion, [3]
Clearwell Cross, [111]
Clement of Alexandria on Symbols of Christ, [15]
Coins stamped with Cross, [6], [13]
Commonwealth, Arms of, [13]
Confirmation Cross, [33]
Consecration Crosses, [40]
Constantine, Conversion of, [5];
Use of Cross by, [6]
Constantinople, Council of, [21]
Costock, Cross at, [40]
Cornish Crosses, [57], [105], [107], [109], [114]
Council in Trullo, [20];
of Constantinople, [21]
Coventry, [72], [75]
Cricklade Crosses, [57]
Creeping to the Cross, [41];
at Dunbar, [42]
Crosses in Catacombs, [4]
Cross-form universal, [2]
Crowle Stone, [103];
Churchyard Cross at, [61]
Crucifixes, Early examples of, [22]
Cruciform Churches, [44]
Crusades, [8]
Cuthbert’s, S., Cross, [39]
Cyril, S., of Jerusalem, quoted, [29]
Dagmar, Queen of Denmark, [24]

Dartmoor Crosses, [104], [107]
Dedications to S. Cross, [43]
Destruction of Roods, [51]
Development of Crucifix, [14]
Dindar Cross, [61]
Disley, [85]
Doncaster Crosses, [75];
Hall Cross, [103]
Drumcliff, [103]
Early Crosses, [3], [4];
Crucifixes, [22];
Symbols of Christ, [15]
East Brent, [61]
East Riding Crosses, [110]
Edinburgh Market Cross, [65]
Eleanor Crosses, [88]
Emblems, Popular use of, [120]
Ensigns charged with Cross, [12]
Ephrem, S., quoted, [29], [30]
Eucharist, Cross in, [31]
Exaltation of Cross, [43]
Eyam Cross, [58]
Fathers, The, on Sign of Cross, [5]
Feast of Exaltation of Cross, [43];
of Invention of Cross, [42]
Folkestone, [115]
Font at Ilam, [23];
at Tissington, [23]
Funerals, Cross used at, [41]
Fylfot, [16];
on bells, [56]
Geddington Cross, [92]
Gladstone, W. E., restores Edinburgh Cross, [69]
Glastonbury Cross, [71]
Gloucester, [71]
Graffito Blasfemo, [4]
Harburton, [61]
Headington, [112]
Heathen deities symbolized by Cross, [1], [2]
Helena, S.—see [True Cross].
Hempsted, [111], [114]
Henley, [114]
Heraclius restores True Cross, [8]
Heraldic Crosses, [11]
Hereford, preaching Cross, [86];
White Friars’ Cross, [112]
Hickleton, [62]
Howard, John, at Eyam, [58]
Holy Cross Day, [43]
Holy Face of Lucca, [22]
Holy Rood as Dedication, [43]
Holy Wells, [112]
Hospitallers, Knights, [12]
Ilam, Font at, [23]
Imitatio Christi, Authorship of, [55]
Iron Acton, [85]
Iron Crown of Lombardy, [11]
Iona, [100]
Italian Art, [25]
Jeffreys, Judge, [96]
Jerome, S., quoted, [29]
John, S., Knights of, [12]
Justin Martyr, S., quoted, [2]
Justinian places Crosses on Churches, [6]
King’s Weston, [115]
Knights, of S. John, of Malta, Teutonic, [12]
Knox, John, burnt in effigy, [70]
Labarum, The, [5]
Lamb with Cross, [16]
Lanteglos, [57]
Leeds Parish Church, Cross in, [88]
Legends of the Cross, [116]
Leighton Buzzard, [76]
Leo the Isaurian, [21]
Lincoln Crosses, [75];
Well-Cross, [113]
London Well-Crosses, [114]
Lothario, Cross of, [23]
Lucca, Holy Face of, [22]
Mackinnon’s Cross, Abbot, [100]
Malmesbury, [76]
Malta, Knights of, [12]
Martin’s Cross, S., Iona, [100]
Marriages at a Public Cross, [75]

Market Crosses, [65]
Mayence Cross, [34]
Meaning of Signing with Cross, [30]
Mercat Croce, Edinburgh, [65]
Merchant’s Cross, Dartmoor, [108]
Mode of Signing with Cross, [30]
Mohammedan Rule in Jerusalem, [9]
Monasterboice, [100]
Monmouth’s Rebellion, [96]
Montgomery, Jas., [96]
Myrroure of our Lady, [30]
Nails of the True Cross, [10]
Nevern Cross, [58]
Neville’s Cross, [88]
Newark, [96]
Northampton, [91]
North Petherton, [61]
Norwich, [85]
Nun’s Cross, Dartmoor, [107]
Ordination, Cross in, [32]
Oswald’s Cross, S., [87]
Palm Cross, [62]
Papal Cross, [39]
Patriarchal Cross, [38]
Paul’s Cross, S., [76];
famous sermons at, [80];
Jane Shore at, [81]
Pawnbroking by a bishop, [85]
Pectoral Cross, [39]
Penzance, [105]
Plymouth, [96]
Preaching Crosses, [76]
Pre-Christian Cross, [1]
Processional Cross, [16], [34]
Ravenna, Tomb at, [20]
Restoration of Roods, [54];
of Churchyard Crosses, [61];
of Archbishop’s Cross, [38]
Right of Sanctuary, [115]
Rivalry of Canterbury and York, [36]
Romsey Abbey, [61]
Roods, [47];
famous examples, [50];
Destruction of, [51];
Rood of Grace, Boxley, [50]
Rood-lofts, [48];
use of, [49];
destroyed, [53];
restored, [54]
Roodee, Chester, [51]
Rouen, screen at, [54]
Ruskin, quoted, [119]
S. Ives, Cornwall, [57]
Salisbury, [76]
Sanctuary, Right of, [115]
Sandbach, [96]
Santa Croce, Rome, [11]
Scott, Sir W. and Edinburgh Cross, [68], [69];
quoted, [113]
Sermons, famous, at S. Paul’s Cross, [80]
Shepton Mallet, [76]
Shore, Jane, at S. Paul’s Cross, [81]
Sign of Cross, [4], [28];
How made, [30];
Meaning of, [30]
Silvestro, S., at Rome, [25]
Siward’s Cross, Dartmoor, [107]
Somersby Cross, [57]
Spanish Crosses, [88]
Spire Crosses, [56]
Stallbridge, [112]
Station Cross at Mayence, [34]
Symbolism, [120]
Tatterstall, screen at, [49]
Tau Cross, [1], [28]
Templars, Knights, [12]
Tertullian, quoted, [5], [30]
Teutonic Knights, [12]
Tissington, font at, [23]
Title of Cross at Santa Croce, [11]
Tomb at Wirksworth, [19];
at Ravenna, [20]
Totems, [120]
Tottenham Cross, [114]
Towton, Battle of, [96]
Triple Cross, [39]
True Cross, discovery of by S. Helena, [6];
captured by Chosroes, [8];
fragments of, [10];
restored by Heraclius, [8];
Nails, [10];
finally lost, [10]

Trullo, Council in, [20]
Types of Cross, [28]
Universality of Cross-form, [2]
Vatican Cross, [19]
Veneration of Wells, [112]
Waltham Cross, [95]
Wedmore, [96]
Weeping Cross, [62]
Well-crosses, [112]
West Kirby, [110]
Wheatly on Sign of Cross, [33]
Whiteleaf Cross, [106]
Winchester, [76]
Wirksworth, Tomb at, [19]
Xeropotami, Crucifix at, [21]
Y Cross, [25]

HULL: WILLIAM ANDREWS AND CO., THE HULL PRESS.