The Papal Cross: Catholic Symbol of the Authority of the Pope
According to some, the papal cross is representative of the ultimate authority of the Roman Catholic Church. This very common emblem in ecclesiastical heraldry is specifically attributed to the Pope, the chief ruler of the Church, heir of Saint Peter and representative of God on earth.
As the official symbol of the papacy, the use of the papal cross for any other purpose by any other church or organization has been strictly prohibited.
The papal cross consists of a vertical bar intersected by three horizontal transverses placed in order of decreasing length. It is thus distinguished from the Christian cross worn by bishops which has only two horizontal bars.
It should also not be confused with the Cross of Lorraine which is also made up of two horizontal bars, even those which have the same length.
Besides its use, if we are interested in its symbolism, the papal cross should also interest us.
Its three bars are generally considered representative of the Trinity: the Father God, the son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Others see it rather as the different areas which fall under the authority of the Pope, namely the earthly world, heaven and the Catholic Church.
If this kind of consideration of religion speaks to you, you should take a look at this collection of jewelry and decorations of Christian origin : with each of them, a small part of our faith will be presented to you. In short, the meaning and scope of the papal cross is linked to the very essence of the Christian religion. As a symbol, it is therefore very respected and is used in certain prominent ceremonies in the life of the Church. In addition, certain gigantic monuments sometimes pay homage to it. For example, in Dublin there is a gigantic white cross more than 35 meters high which was erected on the occasion of the Pope's visit in 1979.
