The Celtic cross (Ionic cross) has it's roots in a pre-Christian variation of the Solar cross. Examples of the Celtic cross date back as far as 5000 years BCE.

After the conversion of the Celtic people to Christianity, it became an emblem of the Celtic Christian Church.

The Cross Lorraine, named after the region in France of the same name is also the cross of the Greek Orthodox Church . It denotes the rank of cardinal in the Roman Catholic church, and is a symbol for white lead in alchemical texts:

The cross Lorraine (Also known as the Cross of Anjou) has been associated with the Knights Templar. You can read more about the Cross Lorraine and its history here.

The Catholic Papal cross is the emblem of the authority of the Pope:

The Papal cross is often confused with the three armed Cross Lorraine, usually by conspiracy theorists who also confuse the Lorraine cross with occultist Aleister Crowley's "Baphomet cross," a personal esoteric interpretation of the Jerusalem cross.

The Cross of St. Anthony (Also called crux saltire or saltier) looks like a large "X," and represents the manner of the Saint's crucifixion:

As St. Anthony was Scottish, his cross has become a symbol of Scotland.

Related Symbols:

See also:

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Elsewhere on the Web:

From Sun Disk to Crucifix
An illustrated history of the cross symbol.

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