The Old Rugged Cross
Very rarely do we see a cross of roughly hewn timbers. And this is odd because Jesus was not crucified on a cross of polished hardwood, polymer or metal, and certainly not a cross gilded with gold leaf.
The Old Rugged Cross
The Old Rugged Cross
Raguly Cross
If you look inside any church, you are likely to find a Christian cross. These symbols are typically made of stone, polished hardwood, some type of polymer or metal, and occasionally gilded with gold leaf. Some are very delicately carved, or beautiful in their artistic simplicity and geometry. (see for example, the Snowflake Cross).
Very rarely do we see a cross of roughly hewn timbers. And this is odd because Jesus was not crucified on a cross of polished hardwood, polymer or metal, and certainly not a cross gilded with gold leaf.
Rugged means coarse and tough, roughed-up and jagged. The cross was never constructed as a piece of delicate finery; rather it was an instrument of torture, built to withstand harsh handling. The Rugged Cross is an attempt to show something more authentic than the unlikely alternatives usually displayed.
A beautiful filigree cross has its place, but many Christians feel it worth remembering its actual appearance. Unsurprisingly, one of their most popular hymns is The Old Rugged Cross.
In heraldry, such a cross is called Raguly (see above-right), where the angled stubs represent the sawn-off tree braches. An alternative term for this is the Rayed Cross, where the stubs represent rays of light or flames emanating from the cross. (See Glory Cross and Flaming Cross.)
There is no reference in the Bible to say that the cross used to crucify Jesus was a freshly cut tree trunk, and it makes economic sense that these implements were recycled. It can be assumed that the cross used to crucify Jesus was used again, perhaps many times for many years, until it rotted away, snapped or split from repeated use.
What happened to the splinters after that is unknown, but many Christians believe the crucifixion site, including whatever was left of the cross, was buried and above it was built a temple to another god of love, Venus. They further believe that the cross was discovered after Constantine excavated the site in the 4th century. Since then it has been known as the True Cross and fragments in the custody of several European churches are prized relics.
Some people are understandably sceptical about the authenticity of all this, which is of little consequence to the countless number of people who have felt physical, medical, emotional and spiritual benefit from touching a relic of the original Old Rugged Cross.
