Jerusalem Cross Meaning: Quintuple Cross

The Jerusalem Cross , also called the Cross of the Holy Land, the Crusader Cross, or the Quintuple Cross, is a variant of existing Christian crosses. It is believed to have originated during the 11th century, although it is largely associated with the 2nd-century Kingdom of Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem Cross is very typical and easily recognizable. But above all, it has a great value in the Christian religion and it has a fascinating history that you are about to discover.

In this article, you will discover:

• The definition of the Jerusalem Cross

• The Meaning of the Jerusalem Cross

• The History of the Jerusalem Cross

• The Jerusalem Cross today

Let’s start the article without further delay!

The Jerusalem Cross: a symbol with many facets

The Jerusalem Cross is a symbol that is still found today in some churches and on some jewelry. This symbol has many meanings.

The Jerusalem Cross is made up of five crosses, one large one in the middle and four small ones in each corner. The crosses are colored red. With these few indications, we can already interpret the symbol as Christ's will to preach the word of God to the four corners of the world. In addition, the red symbolizes the blood that Jesus had to shed to save humanity. With a simple glance, we can already know a lot about the Jerusalem Cross .

The five crosses can also represent the five wounds of the Messiah, as we have seen above. Another point of view is to interpret the drawing as the biblical teachings found in the Old and New Testaments. All these interpretations can be considered correct, and even the idea that the Cross of Jerusalem represents the heart of God is more or less well-founded.

Let us recall that the knights of the crusades wore this symbol on their outfits and weapons. This event gave an even stronger connotation to the Jerusalem Cross. This symbol even ended up characterizing these religious wars .

Today, wearing a representation of the Jerusalem Cross is a great way to show one's commitment to Christ . It is like expressing our devotion to the mission he has entrusted to us.

1) Jerusalem Cross

A. Composition of the Jerusalem Cross

The Jerusalem cross consists of a large central cross with four smaller Greek crosses in each quadrant. The large central cross is a four-armed cross, similar to a plus sign. The Jerusalem cross is rich in symbolism and meaning and has many different names, including the "Crusader's Cross" and the "Five-Fold Cross." Yet another name is the New Jerusalem Cross, which draws attention to the divine and heavenly restoration of Jerusalem. The term, New Jerusalem, appears twice in the Bible and we understand it to refer to Heaven.

It is a variation of the heraldic cross and the Latin Christian cross. It consists of a large cross potent surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses . The Greek cross, the Latin cross, the Celtic cross, and the Jerusalem cross are just a few examples of the different types of crosses created throughout the history of the Christian religion faith.

From a design perspective, the Jerusalem cross , with its many angles and bright red color , is visually striking, intriguing, and memorable. For those familiar with the Catholic faith or at least the history, it immediately communicates that there is something connected to the Savior of humanity. For centuries, the Jerusalem cross has been a symbol of the Christian religion in the city of Jerusalem . ☩🙏

B. Jerusalem Cross in Religion

The cross is one of the central themes of Christianity. Some crosses, such as the Latin cross, are simple in design. While others, including the Jerusalem or Celtic cross, are more elaborate.

The Jerusalem cross represents Christ's command to spread the Gospel throughout the world . A mission that began in Jerusalem. Jerusalem crosses (also known as crusader crosses), dating back to heraldic times, were the emblem and coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem (Latin: Regnum Hierosolymitanum; Old French: Roiaume de Jherusalem) around the 11th and 12th centuries. This was when the Crusaders captured Jerusalem, establishing Christianity in the region. There are different interpretations of what the Jerusalem cross represents. The red of the cross symbolizes God's sacrifice for man .

The kingdom was religiously and linguistically diverse. Although the crusaders themselves and their descendants were an elite Catholic minority. They imported many customs and institutions from their Western European countries, and since most of the crusaders came from France, the official language of the kingdom was the langue d'oeil, which was then spoken in northern France and by the Normans.

From here you can see the geographical and religious influences of the time that created this heraldic emblem that is still used (mainly) in the Catholic tradition . It should not be confused with the Cross of Lorraine, which has sometimes been called the " Jerusalem Cross ".

2) Jerusalem Cross Meaning

The Jerusalem cross probably has several meanings , the best-known interpretations of which are:

A. “Jerusalem Cross Meaning”: The Four Gospels

A first interpretation given to the cross of Jerusalem is that of Christ and the four evangelists , namely: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the disciples of Jesus to whom the paternity of the four gospels is attributed. Matthew, the previous tax collector, Mark the companion of the apostle Peter, Luke the doctor and companion of the apostle Paul and John, the beloved apostle. Evangelist literally means a person who proclaims the good news. The Messiah in the center signifies the heart of the Gospel . 📖

The symbolism of the Jerusalem cross shows the importance of proclaiming the Good News to all peoples. But it should be noted, as written just above, that the center of the gospel should be the Messiah himself. We can see that some teachers preach the gospel of God while putting other things at the center: themselves, material things, or division. The Jerusalem cross that reminds us of the Messiah and the four evangelists should be represented as a significant symbol of the central message of the gospel and the responsibility to proclaim it .

B. "Jerusalem Cross Meaning": Evangelist Cross

It is said that the four crosses represent the four corners of the world where the Messiah wanted his word to be proclaimed by his disciples . The large cross represents Christ as the force at the center of the Christian religion and the smaller crosses as the 4 corners of the world where the faith has spread . The cross of Jerusalem represents the Messiah's command to spread the gospel throughout the world.

The ancient world believed that the earth literally stood at the four corners. In Acts 1:8, the Messiah commanded his disciples to go out and preach the gospel to all peoples . In the second interpretation, He called his disciples to go to the ends of the earth, to the four corners of the world to spread the good news about him. Jerusalem , Judea , Samaria , and the ends of the earth are the places the gospel was to reach. 🌍📖

As we can see, there are various interpretations of the meaning of the Jerusalem Cross . Many believe that it truly represents the Savior's command to spread the Gospel throughout the world. In this interpretation, the four small crosses then represent the four corners of the world which are:

• Jerusalem

First of all, the important events in the life of the Messiah and his disciples took place in Jerusalem . This is the place where He was crucified and resurrected. In the context of the spread of the Gospel, Jerusalem represents the place where people are closest to the Christian religion.

• Judaea

Judea could represent the people of a circle that surrounds other regions. God has given the task of sharing the Christian faith with all the people around us.

• Samaria

Samaria has some notoriety in first century Israel. It is the place where the Samaritans live. At that time, the Jews and the Samaritans did not have good relations with each other. If we consider the commission of the Messiah to go even to Samaria, we can say that it represents the people who do not share the faith of the Messiah of Nazareth.

• To the ends of the Earth

Finally, the Messiah commissioned his disciples to go to the ends of the earth . God wants these disciples to spread the Good News even to the most distant place from where we are. Some people have received this gift of evangelism and are called to be missionaries.

C. "Jerusalem Cross Meaning": The 5 Wounds of the Savior of Humanity

The Jerusalem cross is also very much represented as the 5 wounds of the Messiah that he suffered when he was crucified. The central cross for the pierced heart of the Savior by a Roman soldier, and the 4 smaller crosses would represent the wounds on the hands and feet . Indeed, this interpretation of the Jerusalem cross is a beautiful reminder of the Messiah's sacrifice so that humans could be saved through his death.

The five crosses would therefore be present to recall the five wounds of the Savior of humanity .

D. "Jerusalem Cross Meaning": Teaching

The sign of the Jerusalem cross is also considered a combination of the teachings of the Old Testament (the four Tau crosses) and the teachings of the New Testament (the four Greek crosses). The four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John , with the Lord in the center. Christianity (central cross) spread by missionaries to all corners of the world.

E. "Jerusalem Cross Meaning": Representation of the heart of God

The mighty cross that represents the wound in the Savior’s side can also represent the heart of God that is abundant with love for His people . As the wound in the Savior’s side flows with water and blood, God’s heart also flows with cleansing water that purifies the hearts of sinners. The four small crosses are to remind us that He has received the punishment reserved for us for our disobedience and rebellion against God Himself. The Jerusalem cross , symbolizing the five sacred wounds of the Savior, reminds us that God loves the planet and its inhabitants !

F. "Jerusalem Cross Meaning": Symbol of the Pilgrim's Cross

And finally, as some Jerusalem Christians call it: a pilgrim's cross . The large central cross represents the pilgrim, and the smaller crosses represent those who support the pilgrim and pray for him during his pilgrimage.

Whatever interpretation of the Jerusalem cross you prefer, the fact is that it is a powerful symbol of the Church Militant. Where that term refers to the faithful here in the world who are fighting against sin, the devil, and the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12).

3) Jerusalem Cross History

A. Birth of the Jerusalem Cross

The Jerusalem Cross dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries , when the Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099, establishing Christianity in the region. (At that time, Muslim forces controlled the area.) One of the leaders of the Crusades, Godfrey of Bouillon , was the first to use the Jerusalem Cross as a distinct symbol of the new Crusader state, known as the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. De Bouillon believed that the cross symbolized the Messiah and the city of Jerusalem which is the root of the Christian religion .

Even after the overthrow of the Crusader state in 1291, the cross remained a symbol of Jerusalem for Christians and became the emblem of the highly esteemed Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Today, the Jerusalem cross remains the emblem of the Order and is still the symbol of all those who work to preserve the Christian religion in Jerusalem.

B. Crusader Cross

A sacred cross from the Holy Land with a rich and ancient history. The five-fold cross , which is the official emblem of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, has a rich and ancient history. Many scholars believe that this symbol was originally designed for the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The same symbol was later adopted by the crusaders who traveled to the Holy Land in the Middle Ages, and it is for this reason that it is sometimes called " the crusader's cross ". ⚔️

It is known as the Crusader's Cross , as it originated as a heraldic cross worn on the coat of arms of Godfrey of Bouillon during the First Crusade. It was used as heraldry by the supreme ruler of the Crusader states, the King of Jerusalem, for about two centuries. The 5 crosses represent the five nations that featured in the Crusades: Britain, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy.

Not all of these crusading knights were God-fearing Christians. For many of them, it was simply a job that would earn them a rich salary back home. Just like today's crusades, for many, the price they paid was economic gain.

C. The First Crusade

Pope Urban II wanted the people of Europe to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. This turned into a crusade to liberate all the Churches of the East , that is, present-day Turkey east of the Bosphorus, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Israel. These places had all been invaded by the Seljuk Turks who closed, desecrated, converted or destroyed the churches there.

The Pope was responding to a request from the Byzantine Emperor for help in repelling the advancing Turks. The First Crusade ended with the Crusaders retaking Jerusalem . Even today, if you travel through Israel, you will find white flags flying and emblazoned with the Jerusalem Cross , as they have for over a thousand years.

D. The Divinity of the Jerusalem Cross

The Jerusalem cross has also been accepted as an unofficial symbol of Christian deism. Deism is a theological position (although encompassing a wide variety of views) regarding God's relationship with the natural world. The Jerusalem cross contains memory aids that highlight twenty words that paraphrase statements the Messiah used to describe the essence of his message.

These 20 words are: There is only one God. I will love God with all my heart and will love all others as I love myself. See Mark 12:28-31 and Luke 10:25-28 for two versions of the Savior's original statements.

E. Jerusalem Cross: Flag of Georgia

The Jerusalem cross has close ties with the Holy Land and that is why it was chosen as the flag of the country of Georgia . According to the Georgian ambassador to the Vatican: For Georgian identity, the Jerusalem cross has a huge significance. We believe that this flag existed before the time of the Crusades. It is described in the Georgian text of the 10th century as the national flag . The Christian religion in Georgia has a long history of relations with the Holy Land. There are some monastic settlements and Georgian manuscripts dating back to the early times of the Christian religion in Georgia.

4) Today's Jerusalem Cross

A. Jerusalem Cross in the Modern Era

You have just discovered the origin, history and meaning of the Jerusalem Cross . It symbolizes in particular the message of Jesus to spread the Gospel throughout the world. Like all other Christian Crosses, it symbolizes all the suffering that Christ had to undergo to redeem our sins and grant us eternal Life. The Jerusalem Cross also represents the importance of the Holy Land in the Christian religion .

Today, many believers wear the Jerusalem cross as a sign of commitment to the eight beatitudes . The way the Messiah taught us to reach the kingdom of heaven. You can still see these intersecting influences in Israel today, especially in Jerusalem where there are more churches and institutions belonging to different Christian denominations. You will see Jerusalem crosses for sale in many souvenir shops.

The large cross surrounded by four smaller crosses is a gift or souvenir that is unique to Jerusalem . In addition, the cross is an open conversation piece, as few people outside of Jerusalem know the deeper meaning of this symbol . If you want to learn more about other Christian symbols, check out our article on the fleur-de-lis .

B. Jerusalem Cross: Christian Crosses

The Jerusalem Cross is ideal for those looking for a cross that reminds them of the Messiah's connection to the Holy Land . It can be worn as a necklace, bracelet or even as a ring.