Baptismal Cross Symbol – History And Meaning

For Christians, the cross is the ultimate symbol of Christianity. During baptism, the priest makes the sign of the cross over the child because of the Christian belief that the said sign invokes God’s protection. 

The sign of the cross is paired with the oil at baptism, which is symbolic of bringing together the person or child being baptized and the Holy Spirit. Light, on the other hand, is symbolized in the form of a candle.

Baptismal Cross Symbol — History and Meaning

If you want to learn more about the Baptismal Cross symbol, read on to find out the meaning, history, and significance of this Christian symbol.

Baptismal Cross History

In ancient Egypt, the combination of two cross figures was used as a symbol of the primeval forces of chaos in Egyptian mythology called the Ogdoad. They were the eight primordial deities worshiped in Hermopolis that were believed to have existed before the sun god Ra came to be.

In Buddhism, it is the holistic number for the number of steps to end suffering, illustrated in the Dharmachakra symbol which has 8 stokes that represent the “wheel of life.”

The double cross was also used in the 13th-century the Groschen coin introduced by Duke Meinhard II of Tyrol in Merano. Groschen coins were the silver coins used in various states of the Holy Roman Empire back in the Middle Ages. These silver coins had a double cross on the front face.

The Western glyph “8” is a never-ending line that symbolizes infinity, only in the baptismal cross the shape of the number 8 differs in that the line crosses itself in the center. This crossing of lines symbolizes death.

But since the line does not stop there and carries on instead, it came to symbolize a new life, just as the baptismal cross represents a new life, hence regeneration or rebirth. 

The meaning the baptismal cross came to be a symbol of life, death, and regeneration or rebirth because of the number eight, specifically the eight points or eight arms, in this double cross. This is also why baptismal fonts are often octagon-shaped – to carry over the symbolism of resurrection, especially of Christ, to the baptismal rite.

The number 8 is also repeated in stories of resurrection in the Bible. In the Old Testament, Elijah resurrected the widow’s son who had been dead for eight days. It was the same for Eutychus who was revived by Paul in the New Testament. The most significant of all is the “eighth day” of the week, which refers to Christ’s resurrection.

The Baptismal Cross Symbol

The baptismal cross consists of the Greek cross with the Greek letter X which is the first initial of the name “Christ.” This cross is a symbol of regeneration in many religions, including Christianity.

Although the baptismal cross is not a very commonly-used symbol, it is associated with baptism due to the said symbolic representation of regeneration.

The eight points or arms of the baptismal cross in Catholicism represent both the age of baptism in the Church, which is within eight days of birth, and the eight-day interval between Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and his resurrection. The number eight is also connected to the “eighth day” of the week or Christ’s resurrection.

The numerical value of the name of “Yeshua” or “Jesus” in Koine Greek is 888, making 8 a Christian “super number.” 

Baptismal Cross Symbol Meaning

The baptismal cross bears eight points, formed by combining the Greek cross with the Greek letter chi (X) which is the first letter of “Christ” in Greek.

The number 8 is a symbol used in many religions, including Christianity, to represent generation. The number 8 as a symbol of regeneration links this 8-pointed cross with baptism in Christianity, becoming the baptismal cross. 

Today, however, the eight-pointed cross is more commonly used as a symbol for Neo-Gnosticism. Gnostics borrowed the symbol to represent the eight Aeons, as well as resurrection.