When did the Celtic Cross originate?

7th century
The Celtic cross is believed to have originated around the 7th century. Like many ancient symbols there are many variations on its origin. Many credit St. Patrick with the creation of the first Celtic cross.

How did the Celtic Cross originate?

According to legend, the ringed cross was introduced by St Patrick when he was converting pagans to Christianity. According to popular legend, the Celtic Cross was introduced by St Patrick when he was converting the pagans in Ireland to Christianity. (Although others claim it was St Declan who introduced the cross.)

Did the Celtic Cross exist before Christianity?

Found throughout Ireland and Scotland, Celtic crosses predate Christianity and were first used by pagans in the worship of the sun. In pagan times, the Celtic cross was known as a Sun Cross or Sun Wheel and was a symbol of Odin, the Norse god. The circle in the cross is now widely known to represent the sun.

What is the oldest Celtic Cross in Ireland?

History of the Celtic Cross Perhaps one of the oldest surviving free-standing stone cross in Ireland is at Carndonagh, Donegal, also known as the Donagh or St. Patrick’s Cross. Tradition suggests that a church or monastery was founded here in the fifth century by Saint Patrick with Irish missionaries.

What does a Celtic Cross stand for?

The Celtic Cross’ construction features a traditional cross accentuated with a circle around the intersection of the arms and stem. Subject to many different interpretations, the Celtic Cross is said to be a representation of knowledge, strength and compassion to manage life’s ups and downs.

Is a Celtic Cross Catholic?

The Irish Celtic Cross is a symbol that conjures up all the mystery of the Dark Ages. It is also a popular symbol of faith, whether the belief is pagan, christian or of any other religion. Catholics usually refer to this style of cross –- with a ring connecting the four sections –- as the Irish Cross.

What does a Celtic Cross signify?

Can a Catholic wear a Celtic Cross?

The Celts, after they became Christian (we can especially thank St. Patrick for that, I’m guessing), extended the vertical bar, making it appear like a Christian cross – but kept the intricate knot work. Catholics still use the original Celtic Cross.

Who wears a Celtic Cross?

A version of the Celtic cross is used as a symbol by white supremacists. It was used by Nazis in Norway in the 1930s and 1940s, and more recently it has been used by neo-Nazis, Klansmen, and other white supremacist groups.

Are Celts Scottish or Irish?

Today, the term Celtic generally refers to the languages and respective cultures of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and Brittany, also known as the Celtic nations. These are the regions where four Celtic languages are still spoken to some extent as mother tongues.

When did the Celts convert to Christianity?

Contact between Christianity and Insular Celtic paganism were initiated before the declaration of Christianity as the official religion of England in 312 A.D. The Gregorian Mission in 596 A.D, which decreed conversion of all pagans to Christianity, as well as the Christian take-over of Ireland by 600 A.D., accelerated …