St. John's Cross

St. John's Cross appears as various styles, from the blunt (left) to the curved (centre) to the sharp (right). Each splayed arm is like a paw, giving the cross the heraldic name, Cross Pattee or Cross Formy. (See also the Consecration Cross.)

St. John's Cross

St. John's Cross

St. John's Cross

Confusingly, the Celtic Cross and Hans Cross are also sometimes referred to as St. John's Cross. (See also St. John the Evangelist's Cross and St. John the Baptist's Cross).

Sometimes called the Regeneration Cross because it has eight points. Eight symbolises regeneration for many religious ideas. It is the holistic number in Buddhism for the number of steps to end suffering. The number 8, like the lemniscate symbol for infinity , is a never-ending line. Tracing the shape of the 8 differs from the circle, square, triangle etc. in that the line crosses itself in the centre. This crossing symbolises death. But the line does not stop there; it carries on into a new life, just as the Christian cross symbolises new life. The eight therefore represents life, death, and rebirth. In Christianity, because Christ rose from grave eight days after entering Jerusalem, the number is associated with the rebirth of Christ and also baptism; the spiritual rebirth of a person.

The eight points on this cross also represent the eight beatitudes¹.

St. Lazarus Cross

One interpretation of the 'sharp' pointed cross is of four fishtails. (See also Dolphin Cross and Pointed Cross.) The fish symbol was adopted by the early Christian church and the design has long been used as a Hospitaller Cross and Crusader Cross. A Vert (green) version of the Maltese Cross is the St. Lazarus Cross used by The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem. The Armenian Cross is another 8-pointed fishtail cross.

A further interpretation is of four arrow-heads. With this military/fighting association, the cross was the emblem of the Knights of St. John, who were driven from Rhodes to the island of Malta by the Turks. The eight-pointed cross is a symbol used by the knights to denote the eight chivalric obligations or aspirations: loyalty, piety, honesty, bravery, honour, self sacrifice, charity for the poor and the sick, and respect for the Church.

The St. John's Cross still maintains a 'valour and rescue' image, both in civilian life (some fire and ambulance services) and in the military, where it is often the basis of a Campaign Cross². Also in the military we see the German Iron Cross, British Military Cross, U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy Cross and Army Distinguished Service Cross. The British Victoria Cross is another pattee shaped medal. It was instituted in 1856, during the long reign of Queen Victoria, following the Crimean War and said to have been cast from bronze barrels of Russian cannons captured at Sebastopol.

Unfortunately, whilst these crosses are only awarded in very exceptional cases of bravery, true valour and sacrifice, they still conjure up an image of fighting. Contrast this with another cross, the Red Cross, and we can see these military crosses have lost most of the ethos of the eight beatitudes¹.

There are only two kinds of music worth listening to -
Rock... and Roll

D-r-r-rag racing off in a different direction, brave, risk-taking, dare-devilish behaviour has led to variations the St. John's Cross becoming popular with fans of hot-rods, rockabilly and the general rock'n'roll scene. 'Worldly' music such as this is affectionately known as the Devil's music, adding to the rebellious appeal of the music. Or noise, depending on taste. The pink-edged cross is a naive attempt to mock the highest authority.

Heavy metal music is supposed to provide a channel for the Devil through the use of tritones, a musical interval that spans three whole tones, like the diminished fifth or augmented fourth. Tritones can sound a bit spooky and doomy to the Western ear, and they were suppressed by the Church in the Middle Ages, labelling this musical phenomenon as the Diabolus in Musica (the Devil's Interval).

The esoteric school of Pythagoras taught that these can trigger a sensual state of mind - something the Church considered was a Satanic temptation and consequently they made tritones illegal. This sounds ludicrous today, but we must remember that in the Middle Ages, their understanding of physiology was limited to drilling holes in people's heads (trepanation), far removed from today's neuroscience. Illness was considered the work of the devil and any sexual reaction within their bodies meant a supernatural power was taking hold of them. Why this should be the Devil and not God, remains a mystery.

Examples of tritones can be heard in Beethoven's Fidelio, the song 'Maria' in West Side Story, and the TV Simpsons theme tune. You have been warned!

Flag of Poltava

The Maltese Cross can be seen on the provincial Flag of Poltava Oblast, central Ukraine, where this cross is known as the Cossack Cross, a Ukrainian medal of honour. In czarist Russia, Slavs living mainly in the southern part of Russia formed an elite corps of cavalrymen. The name retains its brave, adventurous and somewhat guerilla fighting image.

National flag of Malta

The Maltese Cross has many similarities with the George Cross, also known as the Greek Cross. The civil ensign of Malta is a white Maltese Cross on a red ground, but the present day national flag of Malta (shown on the right) bears a George Cross and not a Maltese Cross.

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

The Maltese Cross appears in the logo of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (see also Lutheran Cross).