Is the Canterbury Cross The Offical Anglican Cross?

Discussion in 'Faith, Devotion & Formation' started by Fidei Defensor, Mar 26, 2019.

  1. Fidei Defensor

    Fidei Defensor Active Member

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    EB6FD20E-ACE0-4F30-913B-92D0EB19FD00.jpeg

    I was inquiring if the Canterbury Cross is the offical cross of Anglicanism/Episcopalisn?

    I know most denominations share crosses like the Latina Cross, Greek Cross, Cross Pattee, Budded Cross (Apostle’s Cross) and Tau Cross.

    However, the Crucifix tends to be associated with Roman Catholicism (even if Lutherans and Anglicans use it, most people will mistake you for being Catholic if you wear a crucifix) , the Suppedaneum (three bar, Russian Orthodox, and Byzantine) cross with Eastern Orthodoxy and the cross with the flame is Pentacostal.

    I was womdering if the Canterbury Cross is the unmistakable symbol of the Anglican Church?

    The Life-Giving Cross (red Latina Cross on white flag) has been used by the Catholic Knights Templar, St. George Coat of Arms, and the flag of England.
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2019
  2. Stalwart

    Stalwart Well-Known Member Anglican

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  3. Fidei Defensor

    Fidei Defensor Active Member

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  4. Leacock

    Leacock New Member

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    The Celtic Cross is widely identified with Anglicanism in Canada as well.

    Presbyterianism at least of the Scottish variety tends to use the cross of St. Andrew make https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scotland#/media/File:Old_logo_of_the_CoS.png

    I am not the biggest expert on Presbyterianism but I have never seen a celtic cross used by them.
     
  5. Botolph

    Botolph Well-Known Member

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    UnapologeticallyAnglican2.jpg

    I have always seen the budded cross a a very anglican cross, but with all things anglican there is a degree of variance.

    CompassRose.jpg
    The Compass Rose with the Cross of St George at the heart of it is emblematic of the Anglican Communion, and does remind us that for a very long time the flag of St George with the red cross on the white field flew on many if not most of our churches.

    [​IMG]

    That having been said the Canterbury cross is unmistakably Anglican.

    CanterburyCross.png

    CanterburyTriangleAndPaliumGold.png
     
  6. Botolph

    Botolph Well-Known Member

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    I forgot, the Becket Cross is another undeniably anglican cross

    BeckettCross960.jpg
     
  7. Leacock

    Leacock New Member

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    I don't think I have ever seen it before.

    It looks like an Invocation Sigil.
     
  8. mediaque

    mediaque Active Member

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    I've never seen the Becket Cross either. Although, that doesn't mean anything really. Ha! ;) I'll have to research that one.
     
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  9. Leacock

    Leacock New Member

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    Having done some more research it seems that it is a cross that supposedly marks the spot where Becket died (I worked there for months and do not recall seeing it but I have never been particularly enamoured of Mr. Becket so it may not have left much of an impression.

    I nonetheless maintain that it looks like an invocation sigil.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Anglo-cracker

    Anglo-cracker Member Anglican

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    Canterbury is my favorite, I have a decal of one on the back window of my truck.
     
  11. A Garden Gnome

    A Garden Gnome Member

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    The patron saint of my diocese, Lichfield, is St Chad of Mercia. There's a cross named after him, the cross of St Chad. I've never seen it actually used anywhere, but I just think it's interesting how we have a cross pretty much peculiar to our diocese, and a few churches in Wales heavily associated with him. Chad-Crest.jpg
    ChadCrossSmaller.jpg
     
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  12. anglican74

    anglican74 Well-Known Member Anglican

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  13. A Garden Gnome

    A Garden Gnome Member

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    To revise my statement at having never seen the St Chad cross before, I've just got back from evensong at Lichfield Cathedral, and I saw the cross at least 100 times around the city and in the cathedral I think! When you know what you're looking for...
     
  14. A Garden Gnome

    A Garden Gnome Member

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    Haha, the Chad St Chad. He actually was quite a Chad, has a very interesting story. Thinking about it, Lichfield Cathedral's proper name is the cathedral church of St Chad and the Blessed Virgin Mary I think, so it's name is literally a meme. The Chad Chad Vs the Virgin Virgin Mary...
     
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