Holy Cross Tattoos
Many people choose to get tattoos during their lifetimes. Many people get tattoos to represent turning points in their lives, to mark momentous occasions, to show affiliation to certain groups, and to show religious preferences. This is where the religious and holy cross tattoos come in. Available in many styles and forms, this is a tattoo that usually reflects religious affiliations.
There is the Jerusalem cross, the Maltese cross, and several different variations of holy cross tattoos. So, why do people choose to have a cross tattooed on their bodies? Let’s take a look at the different varieties of holy cross tattoos available and why people choose to make them a part of their inking experiences.
The Jerusalem cross tattoo is generally a cross with equal arms. It is sometimes described as a cross embedded in the middle of four smaller crosses. This design made its first appearance during the first Crusade and has a long history in Christianity and the art of tattooing. The first Latin ruler of Jerusalem, Godfrey of Bouillon, had the Jerusalem cross on his Coat of Arms. In 1956, John Carswell recalled the account of discovering the Jerusalem cross design in a pattern of wood blocks. Revealing the remnants of tattooing on written record dating back as early as the 1600s and possibly even earlier.
The Maltese cross tattoo dates back to the first Crusade as well. Taking its name from the island of Malta, mainly from the Sovereign Order of Malta. The Maltese cross depicted the cross itself surrounded by 2 intertwining snakes, in its earliest form. This version was used by the community of St. John the Baptist’s hospital that offered medical care and hospice to pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land. Currently popular in tattooing today, the Maltese cross is generally used in the variation used as a military decoration in Europe.
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