Crux immissa

A Latin cross is the most commonly represented form of the Christian cross. Common synonyms are Passion Cross or Crux immissa (about: " A joint cross" ) and High Cross.

The longitudinal beams is longer than the cross beam, which crosses the longitudinal bar above its center. Symbolically, the cross refers to the union of heaven and earth: the longitudinal bar represents the divine, while the horizontal bar represents a connection to the earth.

The veneration of the cross is detectable from the 4th century, a representation of the cross without the crucified Jesus is first found on sarcophagi of the 4th / 5th Century.

The Latin Cross prevailed especially in Western Christianity, where it was perceived as the actual shape of the cross at Jesus' crucifixion (hence "Passion Cross" ). It is therefore also the exclusive form of the crucifix in the Western tradition, with a few exceptions in the late Gothic period, where Christ is depicted on a Y -shaped tree of life.

The floor plans of the churches in Romanesque and Gothic periods usually have the shape of a Latin cross. The transept crosses the nave near the altar; the thus created transept separates the choir and so the chancel of the laity.

The Scandinavian flags have as a basic form a ninety degree rotated Latin cross ( " Scandinavian cross" ); this goes back to the Danish flag, whose present form is detectable since 1219.

In heraldry the Cross can occur in two forms; once as a common figure in a coat of arms without shield edge touch panel and a herald image with shield touching the edge to crest subdivision.

Character

In Unicode, the Latin cross is included as U 271 D Latin cross.