Study and Analysis On the Symbol of the Templar Cross
The Templars constituted a first-rate organization during the Middle Ages.
Well known in all Christian countries, their primary task was to protect European travelers and pilgrims who came to visit the sites of the Holy Land.
In addition to this function, the Knights Templar also carried out numerous military operations.
Their significant power and influence, the military prowess they demonstrated and their exemplary attitude during the Crusades gradually made this organization an ideal subject of legend.
Among all these, the symbol of the Templar cross occupies a special place.
Contents :
History and creation of the order
Description of the Templar cross
But actually, how did the Templar cross appear?
Live a righteous life
thanks to the messages of these Christian symbols
History and creation of the order
In 1099, when Christian armies recaptured Jerusalem from Muslim occupation, large numbers of pilgrims began arriving in the Holy Land.
The territories they had to cross were still controlled by Muslims. Consequently, many of these Christians died attempting to complete their pilgrimage.
It was only later, in 1118, that a French knight named Hugues de Payens decided to create a military order to help his co-religionists.
He decided to name it “Order the poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon”. Later, this order was better known as the Order of the Templars.
Hugues de Payens and Baldwin II (the king of Jerusalem at the time) decided to establish the organization's headquarters on the Temple Mount, near the city.
This could be an explanation for their no, although there are other more… mysterious ones. (Don't worry, we'll see them together in a few moments.)
For several centuries, the Knights Templar were known as a group of elite warriors. These fighters were always ready to fight to defend the land where Christ was born, the lives of their brothers, the Christian cross, and more particularly their symbol: the Templar cross.
Description of the Templar cross
The symbol of the Templar cross is actually very visually similar to a whole bunch of Catholic crosses.
If you are interested in the subject, we have written an article which presents some of them to you here !
It is based on a Greek cross model (that is to say a cross in which all the branches are the same size).
With thinner arms than the original, particular “T” shaped “legs” and distinctive red and white colors, the symbol of the Templars has nevertheless managed to create its own identity.
Despite this, novices often confuse it with the Maltese cross, the emblem of another order of chivalry.
Let us remember this if necessary: these two crosses are very different, and the interpretations that we can make of them sometimes go in two radically opposite paths.
Furthermore, even if the Order of Malta is relatively old, its lucky cross only saw its appearance fixed during the 16th century.
It goes without saying that the symbol of the Templars therefore predates it well.
follow the path of the saints
by wearing these Christian religious medals
But actually, how did the Templar cross appear?
Anyone familiar with the history of Christianity knows that the symbol of the lucky cross has been used in many different ways.
There were stories of crosses miraculously appearing on the clothing of particularly worthy individuals, appearances of the symbol in churches, and a host of other miracles.
However, it was Pope Urban II who officially instituted this sign as both a military distinction and a reminder to Christian knights that they were fighting for a cause beyond themselves: the glory of God.
During the Crusades, the Pope ordered that the sign of the Christian cross be cut from any piece of fabric to be sewn onto the tunics and coats of those who went to fight.
All these crosses were, however, very disparate : no indication as to its shape or color had been given.
It was only during the reign of Pope Honorius II that the Knights Templar were granted the right to wear white cloaks, a symbol of innocence and Christian purity. .. but without any symbol of a cross on them ("absque aliqua cruce", said Jacques de Vitry).
Eugene III authorized the order of the Templars to add a red cross to their outfit, this color being supposed to recall the martyrdom that Christ endured to save us from our sins.
Meaning of the Templar Cross
In the world of Christian lucky charms (which you can probably learn more about here), the symbol of the Templars is undoubtedly the one most associated with power, particularly military power.
Linked to strict and powerful principles, this Catholic cross is still worn with pride by thousands of people today for the meaning it carries.
Here are some examples of the meaning that the Templar cross may have had throughout history.
Its use on the battlefield
The symbol that interests us here corresponds to the lucky cross that the knights of the Templar order proudly wore on their tunics and armor.
The meaning of the Templars' cross when it accompanied them into battle could in particular have been that of the martyr: this Christian symbol in fact evoked the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
By keeping this image in mind, the Templars were no longer afraid of death, because they knew that a place in paradise was guaranteed to them.
From then on, the only certain outcome of the fight was glory...
There was also a strict military rule which prevented the Templars from abandoning their comrades.
In the middle of each battalion there was also a flag with the symbol of the Templars.
Whatever happened, no matter the debacle or the losses, a knight could not leave the battlefield while this standard still fluttered in the wind.
Thus, the Templar cross became a Christian lucky charm linked to courage and will.
The meaning of the Templar cross in Christianity
If we look at it from a purely Christian point of view, the cross is above all the primordial symbol of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
Jesus sacrificed himself for our sins on the cross.
This scene is also one of the most important in the Christian religion.
Any child who does his catechism learns it, and thus understands all the love that Christ has for us.
Yes, we are indeed talking here about the greatest symbol of love and compassion of all time.
This is the message that this type of Templar amulet conveys, a real nod to the history of the Crusades.
Given that the Templars positioned themselves as defenders of Christianity, and protectors of the Holy Land, the order was quickly approved by the Catholic Church.
Thus, the number of Templars grew greatly and rapidly, as did their power and fame across the cities of Europe.
It is therefore entirely normal that a particular Christian cross was awarded to them.
The association of the symbol of the Templars with the crown
If you are interested in the Knights Templar order, you may have noticed that their cross is very often combined with a crown.
The meaning of the Templar cross therefore finds an extension here: the crown would be a sort of heavenly reward which would await in the afterlife people who have lived well.
We can also understand that no end is definitive, that we can still succeed and earn our honor once the end of our life has been reached.
Often, this Templar symbol of the cross and crown is accompanied by the phrase " In Hoc Signo Vinces ", which translates to: "By this sign you will conquer."
draw near to the lord
through our pious and sacred icons
The true origin of the Templar cross
The symbol of the cross in a circle is very old and has played an important role in the history of all humanity. ( This book by René Guénon talks about it brilliantly!)
It can be found in many cultures and many places around the world.
From the “pink” cross of the Rosicrucians to the “sacred circle” of the Amerindians, including certain tribes of West Africa and of course the symbol of the Templars that we are talking about, tracing a precise origin is complicated to say the least.
Regardless, the cross has become a Christian, and therefore universal, symbol.
While, as we have seen, we are free to give it several interesting interpretations, the origin of the Templar cross and the historical context which saw its birth are also very fascinating.
We are therefore going to offer you here some plausible explanations as to the origin of the symbol of the Templars.
The symbol of the Templar cross: roots in the Hebrew alphabet?
If you take the lucky cross outside of the context of Christianity and go back 2000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, you will see that it was used in some ancient alphabets, including Hebrew.
In this alphabet, the cross designates the letter “tav”, the most complex and last letter of the alphabet.
In fact, tav symbolizes the end, the completion.
This could, for example, mean the end of the wait for the Messiah with the arrival of Christ, the end of a cycle, or even the end of time... In reality, all interpretations are permitted here.
Regardless, most researchers generally associate it with ideas of completion, end, or death.
This is therefore a very particular meaning that the symbol of the Templars could carry…
If, however, we delve deeper into the symbolic meaning of tav, we can conclude that it is made up of two parts, two distinct letters: daleth and nun, which mean "finality" and "judgment" respectively.
Thus, our cross would be associated with an inevitable judgment that would take place after death.
This is therefore an interesting hypothesis as to the origin of the Templar cross…
Templar Cross and Mark of Cain
For many, the symbol of the Templar cross would derive directly from another religious symbol: the mark of Cain.
The latter would have been used more than 5000 years ago by the disciples of the one God during their flight from Egypt and their crossing of the desert.
If a connection has been made, it is undoubtedly because, just like the Templar cross, the mark of Cain is represented by a red cross placed in the middle of a circle.
We can also find traces of this symbol in the Bible, more precisely in the chapter of Genesis.
However, the combination of an allegorical writing style and murky historical facts creates a veritable hodgepodge of meaning in which it is sometimes difficult to discern fact from fiction.
Thus, it is perhaps only through oral transmission from person to person that the true meaning of the Templar symbol can be revealed to us.
Discover this article in video format
Lucky charm featured in this article
