It is difficult to find a more common symbol than cross in world culture. For the Christian religion, the cross is the main relic associated with the life and death of Jesus Christ. However, various branches of Christianity from the beginning to the present day have been debating about the shape and essence of the cross as the main object of worship.
Meanwhile, the symbol of the cross was used in various pagan beliefs long before the advent of Christianity. This is confirmed by archaeological finds throughout Europe, in Persia, Syria, India, Egypt. In ancient Egypt, a cross with a ring at the top, ankh, was a symbol of life and rebirth after death. The cross of the ancient Celts, where equal rays extend beyond the boundaries of the circle, personified the union of the earthly and heavenly, male and female principles. In ancient India, the cross was depicted in the hands of the god Krishna, and in North America, the Muiski Indians believed that he was casting out evil spirits.
Execution at Calvary
Despite the fact that the cross in Christianity is also a symbol of rebirth and eternal life after death, its first appearance in religion was associated with the execution of Jesus Christ. Crucifixion on a pillory was widely used as an execution in ancient Rome. The cross was used to punish the most dangerous criminals: traitors, rebels, robbers.
By order of the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate, Jesus was crucified on the cross with two robbers, one of whom repented before his death, and the other continued to curse his executioners until the last breath. Immediately after the death of Christ, his cross became the main shrine of the new religion and received the name of the Life-giving Cross.
Branch from the Tree of Knowledge
There are many theories about the origin of the tree from which the Life-giving Cross was made. One of the legends tells that a dry branch from the Tree of Knowledge sprouted through the body of Adam and became a huge tree.
After several millennia, this tree was ordered to be cut down by King Solomon to be used in the construction of the Jerusalem Temple. But the log did not fit in size and a bridge was made of it. When the Queen of Sheba, known for her wisdom, visited Solomon, she refused to go over the bridge, predicting that the savior of the world would be hung on this tree. Solomon ordered to bury the log as deep as possible, and after some time a bathhouse with healing water appeared on this spot.
Before Jesus was executed, a log surfaced from the waters of the bathhouse, and from it they decided to make the main, vertical pillar for the cross. The remaining parts of the cross were made of other trees, also of symbolic significance - cedar, olive, cypress.
