Analysis of the Celtic Cross

Research By: Kevin Drath

While I was in Wisconsin, I saw a familiar version of the cross, a cross with a circle
behind it. It was on each of the lights in the sanctuary of my uncles church. I asked my
uncle about it and he did not know anything about it.

I did not give it any more thought until I read an article about the Bibles that were going
to be used in the 2013 inauguration ceremony. It mentioned that President Obama is
going to use Lincoln's Bible and Martin Luther King's Bible. It further mentioned that
the Vice President Biden was going to use a family heirloom with a Celtic Cross on it. My
curiosity was piqued, so I did a web search on Celtic Cross and saw the same cross with
a circle behind it.

After doing a little research, here is what I found on the origins of the Celtic cross.

Here is quote from a WikiPedia website link which explains the origins (or possible
origins) of the "Celtic Cross".

"In Ireland, it is a popular legend that the Celtic Christian cross was introduced by Saint
Patrick or possibly Saint Declan during his time converting the pagan Irish, though there are no
examples from this early period. It has often been claimed that Patrick combined the symbol of
Christianity with the sun cross, to give pagan followers an idea of the importance of the cross by
linking it with the idea of the life-giving properties of the sun. Other interpretations claim that
placing the cross on top of the circle represents Christ's supremacy over the pagan sun."

Next is an excerpt from a tarot card site which came up in my search for "Celtic Cross".

"The Celtic Cross is probably the oldest and most popular pattern for reading the tarot. It has
survived so long because the layout of the cards is simple, but powerful. A strong energy has
built up around this spread due to its use by so many people over the years.

You can think of the Celtic Cross as divided into two sections: the Circle/Cross (six cards) on
the left, and the Staff (four cards) on the right. (See diagram above.) The Circle/Cross simulates
the Celtic cross found throughout Ireland. This cross has a circle linking the four perpendicular
spokes. The circle and cross symbolize the joining of spirit and matter and the unity of all
events in time.

The feminine energy of the circular section works in unison with the masculine energy of the
Staff section. These two parts of the Celtic Cross mirror the dual nature of manifested reality -
the polarities that abound in the human psyche."

I have included these excerpts from a company that specializes in making jewelry with
the Celtic cross on it. I found it to be objective. Here is the website link: CeltArts.com.

There are many variations of interpretations and legends about the original meaning that
are commonly repeated even today. The Presbyterian and Catholic are often startled to
learn that the other considers this symbol their own. In our modern multicultural world the
ringed cross is as much a symbol of ethnic heritage as it is of faith and it is often used as an

emblem of ones Irish, Scottish or Welsh identity.

The Irish Catholic priest will have no hesitation telling you that the circle of the Celtic Cross
is a symbol of eternity that emphasizes the endlessness of Gods love as shown through
Christs sacrifice on the cross. That is unless he says the circle is a halo.
At the pub when the subject comes up you might just as likely hear the explanation that the
great stone Celtic Crosses were carved from the standing stones of the Druids and were
originally phallic symbols, just carved into crosses to disguise their original purpose. No
proof of this theory is offered and the in-your-face delivery of this information will probably
intimidate you from asking for any.
With the rise of interest in the occult and pagan ideas in recent years you are likely to read
New Age interpretations about how the cross in the circle is a symbol of the Sun that was
worshipped by the Druids and that this symbol was appropriated by the Christians.
There is a legend of how St. Patrick when preaching to some soon-to-be converted
heathens was shown a sacred standing stone that was marked with a circle that was
symbolic of the moon goddess. Patrick made the mark of a Latin cross through the circle
and blessed the stone making the first Celtic Cross. This legend implies that the Saint was
willing to make ideas and practices that were formerly Druid into Christian ideas and
practices. This is consistent with the belief that he converted and ordained many Druids to
lives as Christian priests.
It seems that most people who know about Celtic Art as part of their personal heritage have
the sort of knowledge that the academic cannot cite as fact since the source is mainly oral
tradition. This does not prevent common knowledge from being strongly, even passionately
believed nor does it mean that it is not true.
The Cross did not become a common symbol of Christianity until the 4th century.
The Chi-Rho symbol, the monogram of Christ was a commonly used symbol of Christianity
in the 4th century Roman Empire. The Emperor Constantine who made Christianity the
official religion of the Roman Empire used as his emblem the Chi-Rho in a laurel wreath.
Thus combined were a pagan Imperial symbol of Rome with a symbol of the new faith.
A plain circle is often a symbol for the moon and a circle with a cross within or the arms of a
cross without are universal symbols for the sun. The swastika is a related sun symbol. The
Druids did indeed worship the sun and moon.
If the Celtic Cross borrowed a pagan sun symbol, just as the Chi-Rho borrowed the pagan
imperial laurel wreath, applying these to a Christian symbol were expressions of honor and
reverence that should be seen in the context of the cultures that brought them forth. There
are Christians who unfortunately see these vestiges of paganism as unholy. They ought to
be regarded as the reverent tributes they were as these great cultures accepted the
Gospels. The Celtic Crosses made at Iona and elsewhere from the 6th century onwards
were made by Christians for the Glory of God. Like much of what they did and believed,
their pagan heritage influenced their art. The early Christians certainly were erecting neither
phallic symbols nor pagan monuments in their own minds when they carved these splendid
creations.

In the article a specific time period was presented, the fourth century AD. This brought
back to my memory something I had come across before in my studies. To expand on
this aspect a bit I will take you through what was discovered.

It is reported that in 313 AD, Constantine had a vision of a cross in the sun and later he
merged paganism with Christianity. Here is a quote from the Wiki page for the Battle of
Milvian Bridge in 313 AD.

"It is commonly stated that on the evening of 27 October with the armies preparing for battle,
Constantine had a vision which led him to fight under the protection of the Christian God. The
details of that vision, however, differ between the sources reporting it."

The question we must ask is, did paganism that influence Christianity as a result of his
conversion? Here is a quote about Constantine from the WikiPedia page on "Sunday":

"The ancient Romans traditionally used the eight-day nundinal cycle, a market week, but in the
time of Augustus, the seven-day week also came into use. The two weeks were used side-by-
side until at least the Calendar of 354 and probably later,[5] despite the official adoption of
Sunday as a day of rest by Constantine in AD 321.[6]Mithraism kept Sunday holy in honor of
Mithras.[7] On 7 March 321, Constantine I, Rome's first Christian Emperor (see Constantine I
and Christianity), decreed that Sunday would be observed as the Roman day of rest:

'On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest,
and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture
may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another
day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper
moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.[8]'"

Here is an entry in the WikiPedia page on "Constantine I" which demonstrates that he
was appealing to both Christian and non-Christians to observe Sunday. Was he
providing religious freedom or intolerance?

"Later in 321, Constantine instructed that Christians and non-Christians should be united in
observing the venerable day of the sun, referencing the sun-worship that Aurelian had
established as an official cult. Furthermore, and long after his oft alleged "conversion" to
Christianity, Constantine's coinage continued to carry the symbols of the sun. Even after the
pagan gods had disappeared from the coinage, Christian symbols appeared only as
Constantine's personal attributes: the chi rho between his hands or on his labarum, but never
on the coin itself.[209] Even when Constantine dedicated the new capital of Constantinople,
which became the seat of Byzantine Christianity for a millennium, he did so wearing
the Apollonian sun-rayed Diadem; no Christian symbols were present at this dedication."

On the next page is the image of a coin with Constantine on it. On it you will find the
image of the sun and the image of the cross in front of the sun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Constantine_multiple_CdM_Beistegui_233.jpg

Later, in the Canon that came out of the Council of Laodicea in 365 AD, we find further
religious intolerance:
Canon 29
Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather
honouring the Lord's Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found
to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ.

Conclusion:

Each person needs to make their own choice on this information. There are many
people who may not care how this image came to be, but I have an interest in these
things and find the research fun and interesting. I learn a lot about history and discover
things which lead me to a deeper appreciation for what God has done for us and how
much work the devil puts into confusing us in a myriad of ways.

Regardless of whether this changes your view or position on what you think when you
see an image of the Celtic cross, we know what happened on the cross of Calvary is
crucial.