Who wears the Maltese cross. Maltese cross: the meaning of the symbol, history and modernity
Maltese cross has another meaning. The name "Hospitallers of St. John" the knights retained, as well as a black robe with an eight-pointed cross embroidered with white silk - a symbol of chastity and eight knightly virtues.
The symbol of the knights of the Order of Malta was a white eight-pointed cross, the eight ends of which denoted the eight knightly testaments. Now this cross is used by the sanitary brigades of St. John (England). The symbol comes from the coat of arms of the Italian city of Amalfi, the natives of which were the founders of the Jerusalem hospital, which gave rise to the order.
St. Peter's Cross - (also known as an inverted cross) a regular Latin cross (depicted in accordance with the Roman Catholic tradition), inverted 180 degrees. The cross is a universal symbol, originating from the most ancient times.
Crucifixion Cross - This form of the cross did not originate with Christianity. The power itself (left sleeve) holds the negative polarity only if and until it is qualified by the positive polarity of divine Love (right sleeve). This is the negative side of Life, where the positive fluctuation of the potential released from the Spirit enters the material manifestation.
Maltese cross (symbol)
The north arm of the cross represents the day side of existence, while the three lower arms represent the night side. The left arm of the Maltese Cross, being the negative arm of the Trinity in form, in itself symbolizes the negative side of Life, where the three lower arms are hung.
At the moment of completion of the complete union of God and man, the effect of a solar explosion occurs, in which light emanates from a point in the center of the cross. God is in the Truth of All-in-all - not only in principle, but also in practical application! Specifically, to dot the "Yo" and this article was written.
Whether you ride them or build them doesn't really matter. When we start talking about this topic, we mean something more than just a historical look at the Iron and Maltese Crosses. The cross, although it was used and is used in other variations, was most widely used in military decorations.
The essential difference between them also depends on their meaning and place in history. However, before we begin to explore the use of this sign, it is necessary to consider the very concept of the cross. In Christianity, the cross is called to remind of the crucifixion of Christ, and by the fact that it is empty - of His resurrection. Many countries used the cross as the main military decoration and awarded it to those who faithfully served the state.
In 1530, Emperor Charles V placed Malta at the disposal of the Order, from then on called the Order of Malta. It is assumed that the eight ends of the cross represent the eight oaths that the knights of the Order took: 1. Be sincere and sincere 8. The history of the Iron Cross goes back to 1813, when the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III established it for the first time during the war for the liberation of Prussia from Napoleon's troops.
Some of them saddled motorcycles, dressed in black leather, wearing trophy swastikas and iron crosses on it.
By the end of the war, the number of degrees of the Iron Cross had increased to eight. Officially, fascist symbols were removed from the Iron Cross in 1957. But until now, for many, it is associated exclusively with negative emotions. Many of them have never been able to find themselves in a society that has become alien to them.
And now the Iron Cross has taken a new place in history. The colors of the Iron Cross ribbon have also been changed. And other letters (from different languages) below were also used by the early Christians as symbols of the cross. In all other cases, the cross is a neutral symbol, often perfectly symmetrical and regularly used in art. The Iron Cross, or Iron Cross, is probably the most famous German award. It was at that time that the Maltese Cross took on the form that is known today - a white cross with eight sharp endings.
... There was a knightly order: cathedrals,
Citadel, ramparts, bridges,
And people wear simple clothes,
But they have golden crosses on them.
Do not strive for glory or happiness,
All are equal in the eyes of the Father,
And do not let conquer autocracy
Hearts consecrated to the sky!
Nikolay Gumilyov
This fall, Gatchina celebrated another glorious anniversary. In October, 215 years have passed since the day when Emperor Paul I, by personal decree, granted the status of a city to his manor. This title was worth a lot, and the imperial decree was the starting point for the flourishing of our Gatchina. The city, of course, has a coat of arms. The emperor took care of this and on December 13, 1800, he approved the Gatchina coat of arms, perhaps the most unusual among the coats of arms of Russian cities, which reflected both Paul's love for Gatchina, and his aspirations for high goals, and almost invisible, but deep sacred meaning. The description of the coat of arms says: “The shield is divided in half. In the upper, golden half, the State double-headed eagle crowned with three Imperial crowns, having on its chest a scarlet shield with a monogram depicting the name of Emperor Paul I; behind the shield is the cross of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, covered with the Maltese crown. In the lower, azure part, the letter G.
The coat of arms is full of symbols, the black imperial double-headed eagle emphasizes the special status of Gatchina among other cities. From here, according to Paul's plan, a new Russia was to begin - united, just, wise, spiritual. Here, for 13 years of seclusion, the future emperor developed reforms and created new models for managing the army and the country.
The singularity of the Gatchina coat of arms is not immediately evident. Firstly, there are four crowns on it - a large imperial one, two smaller ones crowning the heads of a formidable majestic bird, meaning the western and eastern kingdoms, and one more - on the chest of an eagle. This is the crown of the Knights of Malta - the Knights of Justice, whose order was headed by our emperor for several years. By the way, he is the only one of the Grand Masters of the order who wore this crown on his head, the rest only laid their hands on it during ceremonies and rituals. But today we will talk about another symbol - the Maltese cross. Although it is located in the center of the coat of arms, on the chest of the Russian eagle, for some reason it is hardly noticeable. This cross or star, as many historians believe, is called the Maltese one, because once, almost a thousand years ago, the Knights Hospitallers made it their symbol. And if someone has a question, what does this strange cross mean, then the chivalric experts confidently answer, they say, the eight rays of the cross symbolize the eight heavenly bliss that await the knights in heaven, or the eight knightly virtues, or the eight languages (peoples), forming an order of warrior monks.
However, not all so simple. The strange cross appeared thousands of years before the creation of the Order of the Hospitallers, and its true meaning was known only to a few dedicated knights. Some researchers believe that the Maltese cross means the unity of the four ancient Ashtar gods, so to speak, the holy four. Others argue that it is formed by two swastikas - solar and lunar, which are in contact at the ends. Previously, sometimes swastikas were depicted with slightly curved ends (the Nazis adopted a lunar dark swastika and not even a swastika at all, but Hakenkreuz - a symbol of a change in the world and consciousness). Thus, the Maltese cross symbolizes the unity of light and darkness, good and evil, past and future.
Which of the ancient civilizations gave us this magic symbol, hard to say. This cross gained wide popularity only with the advent of the Order of the Hospitallers.
Christians borrowed a lot from other religions, including symbolism. What attracted the ancient monks to the Maltese cross?
In some sources little known to us, it is stated that the hospitallers inherited the spiritual teachings of the Kumraites - religious community, which was headed by John the Baptist (by the way, his father Zechariah was in charge of a hospital in Jerusalem for a long time). The strange symbol also seemed to have come from them, but where the Kumraites took it from is unknown. Its traces are lost in the thousand-year history of mankind. But the initiates believed that the Maltese cross has magic power and endows its owner with special power, because this sign determines the essence of our world and the purpose of man on earth. I think many of us wondered - why do I live? what is my purpose? Now let's try to find out.
Firstly, the Maltese cross explains the essence of the material world, consisting of the unity and balance of the four elements of fire, water, air and earth (four states of matter).
Secondly, the essence of the non-material world, the so-called non-existence, known in antiquity under the name meon. Our non-material world is formed by space, time, energy and information.
Well, the most interesting thing is the person. Imagine that you are in the center of the cross. Its upper beam plays the role of a funnel through which divine truth descends upon you. Through the left and right rays you give love and strength (good deeds) to this world, wisdom comes from the lower ray. Man's destiny is to be a conductor of truth and to follow it. Thus, the Maltese cross means harmony - the harmony of this world, the harmony of our soul, where everything is balanced.
Did Paul know about this? Of course, he knew, because our glorious emperor was an initiate. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the so-called donates - members of the order who were not knighted, but who had proven themselves by good deeds, had a special sign - the Maltese cross, in which the upper beam is either absent or has a different color, that is, the path to truth still closed. Reviving the knightly order in Russia with its traditions, humane aspirations, Pavel hoped to give his country the most important thing - a national idea in which everyone would find their destiny, which could unite everyone. And the Maltese cross was supposed to become a symbol new era. Symbols are really capable of uniting perfectly different people for great accomplishments, remember the swastika in Germany or the star in the Soviet Union. Who knows what Russia could become under the shadow of the Maltese cross?
It is also surprising that the history of the Maltese cross is inextricably linked with hospitals (the hospital was originally called a shelter for wanderers, a hospitable house). And now the Maltese cross crowns the main staircase in the administration building of the city of Gatchina, the former imperial hospital built by Paul. The coat of arms of the city, created by the wonderful Gatchina sculptor Valery Shevchenko, is magnificent and amazing. They are worth admiring. So amazingly two symbols merged together - the hospital and the cross - philanthropy and harmony.
It can be assumed that the coat of arms of Gatchina contains a certain code of Paul I, his blessing to descendants and future generations. And the mysterious Maltese cross is designed to keep and protect our city. That's just the power and strength he bestows only on those who strive for harmony and seek their destiny. What are you looking for and what are you striving for?
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The Maltese cross, which is also called St. George's, as well as the cross of St. John of Jerusalem, has ancient history. It is an eight-pointed symbol, originating from the coat of arms of the Italian city of Amalfi. Knights from this city in the 12th century founded the Order of Hospitallers, whose symbol for a long time was this cross.
The knights believed that it symbolizes the eight knightly virtues (patience, sincerity, humility, sinlessness, justice, truth, faith, mercy).
Now this symbol is used by the English sanitary brigades of the Order of St. John.
In Russia, the eight-pointed cross appeared under Tsar Paul I, who briefly included it in the Russian coat of arms. At present, this symbol has remained in the coats of arms of Pavlovsk and Gatchina.
There are other points of view about its origin. Some researchers believe that it appeared thousands of years before the emergence of the Order of the Hospitallers and denotes the unity of the four Ashtar gods. There is also an opinion that this sign combines two swastikas - solar and lunar, which means the unity of light and darkness.
It is still unknown which people created the Maltese cross, the meaning of which to this day is interpreted in completely different ways. For example, many researchers who are passionate about esotericism and mysticism consider this sign to be magical. They argue that it determines the essence of the earthly and also it contains the answer to the question of the main mystery of the universe.
In their opinion, the Maltese cross shows, firstly, the true essence of the material world, which is the unity of the four elements (earth, air, water, fire). Secondly, it reveals the secret meaning of non-material life, which lies in the relationship of time, space, power and information.
In addition, if we imagine a person in the center of the cross, then the upper part will symbolize the divine will, the lower one means wisdom, and the left and right ones - the love that a person gives to the world. Thus, the destiny of everyone is to listen to God's will and follow it. The cross in this case is a symbol of the harmony of man with the world.
It is also believed that the Maltese cross, which has magical powers, gives power to the person who possesses it. Moreover, it was believed that he possessed such power, since it was he who made the cross part of the coat of arms of Russia, albeit for a short time.
By the way, during his lifetime he was the Grand Master of the Order of the Hospitallers, which was reflected in his official title, and he tried with all his might to support the Guards went under banners with a Maltese cross, and a Maltese pavilion was installed on one of the fortifications of the Admiralty. In addition, in 1798, June 23 began to celebrate the day dedicated to St. John the Baptist, who is the patron saint of the order. Many historians believe that the emperor's addiction to the symbols of the order, as well as his attempts to introduce it into Russian life, were in the nature of a theatrical production and were somewhat absurd. Paul's successor, Alexander I, having ascended the throne, soon abandoned this title, and with this the close connection between the history of Russia and the order ended, without having had time to get stronger enough.
In 1817, it was announced that Russian citizens were forbidden to wear the Maltese cross on their clothes due to the fact that the branch of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem had ceased to exist.
At present, the memory of those times and the emperor, who was the Grand Master, is still alive. The events of more than two hundred years ago are reminiscent of such cities as Gatchina and Pavlovsk. And just like the Vorontsov Palace, they keep the spirit of chivalry in their chambers.
The Maltese cross is a symbol that came to us from ancient times, but in this case a number of constructive explanations are needed, since today the majority associate the Maltese Cross exclusively with the activities of the knightly Order of the Hospitallers. The Order of St. John (Knights of Malta) did use the Maltese cross (the meaning and history of the sign in this context will be presented below), but this symbol originally belonged to Amalfi, an ancient Italian city that was founded around the 4th century AD.
The Maltese cross (the meaning of the symbol has remained unchanged for centuries) is still used as the official coat of arms of the city of Amalfi. But how does this ancient city associated with this symbol and what does the Maltese cross mean, what is the sacred subtext ancient sign? The fact is that the Hospitallers (they are also the Ioannites, and officially the Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta Sovereign Military Hospice Order of St. John) originate precisely from Amalfi. Natives of this Italian province stood at the origins of the founding of a chivalric-religious organization, which set itself the goal of protecting and helping pilgrims striving for the Holy Land.
Thus, the Maltese cross, whose significance in a religious context is quite obvious, became a symbol of the Hospitallers. At the same time, it is important to note that in this case the Maltese cross is a rather specific symbol, taking into account not only the shape, but also the color scheme of the image. The Maltese Cross of the Hospitallers is white, and the background on which it is depicted is black (or red). This is the canonical version and any other "version" cannot be called the Maltese Cross.
In 1530, the Hospitallers were "renamed" the Order of Malta, which was recognized by Italy as a sovereign state. At the same time, it should be noted that by the time the Order of Malta appeared (by the way, the oldest religious and knightly formation in Europe), the flag and coat of arms of the organization no longer included the Maltese Cross. As well as the Republic of Malta itself, it chose other symbols as state signs. In other words, as such, the Maltese Cross (the meaning of the symbol was probably not always directly related to religion) is fair to refer only to the tradition of the Order of the Hospitallers. This is if we turn to history, because today this symbol is also used, in particular - it can be seen on the coat of arms of the aforementioned city of Amalfi, as well as on the uniform of St. John's Brigades (Armed Forces of the United Kingdom).
Now let's move on to semantics, and this question is on this stage is of particular importance, because today a Maltese cross tattoo or a Maltese cross pendant is not something out of the ordinary. But is it fair to use them in this context? Moreover, most of the people who use these characters in Everyday life, hardly really imagine what the Maltese cross means, what is the original tradition of this esoteric emblem.
First, consider the "version", which belongs directly to the Order of the Hospitallers. In accordance with the tradition of the order, the eight extremities of the cross represent the eight knightly virtues - truth, faith, justice, mercy, sincerity, patience, sinlessness and humility. It is also worth noting that initially the order included representatives of eight European regions - England, France, Provence, Auvergne, Castile (with Portugal), Aragon, Bavaria and Italy. At the same time, the four "rays" of the Maltese cross are a symbol of the four common Christian virtues (justice, prudence, temperance and fortitude). White color (as already mentioned, the Maltese cross is always white) represents purity of spirit, purity of intentions.
Sometimes the Maltese Cross (we will consider the meaning of the symbol in the esoteric plan below) is also called the Cross of John of Jerusalem, but its other name, the St. color spectrum. At the same time, it is fair to note that the Maltese Cross is directly related to the Russian state. By decree of Paul I, for some time it was part of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire. True, this decree was never signed, and Alexander I, who replaced Paul, immediately returned the coat of arms to its original form. At the same time, Paul is not difficult to understand, because he was a member of the Order of Malta. Moreover, there is a version that the ruler of Russia occupied a rather high position in the order and some relics, ancient order artifacts were transferred to him for storage. How true the story of the artifacts is is a difficult question, but Paul I really was a member of the Order of Malta, this fact is beyond doubt.
Modern esotericism considers the Maltese cross in isolation from Christian doctrine, which, as we have seen, is quite fair, because the symbol did not originally belong to any spiritual and knightly orders, it was used for many centuries (and possibly millennia) before the appearance of such organizations. In this sense, the meaning of the Maltese Cross can be based on the unity of the four primary elements - Fire, Water, Air and Earth. And the “forked” rays of the cross can indicate the duality of the essence of the manifestation of any of the natural elements, because, for example, the same Water can both give life (nourishing plants, animals and people) and take it away (during floods or storms). Duality, which includes the aspect of destruction and the aspect of creation, is characteristic of many cults of antiquity, so there is really nothing surprising in such an interpretation.
In addition, in numerology, the number 8 is the number of “double base”, this is the penultimate step, this is a stop one step before absolute harmony. And in this context, the meaning of the Maltese cross can be considered somewhat differently. It is quite possible that the point of intersection of its four rays represents the person himself, his will, which becomes the very “last step” on the path spiritual development. One way or another, but this noble symbol left an indelible mark on human history. However, since its true semantics can still only be determined to a relative extent, it is worth saying that getting a Maltese cross tattoo is still stupid. But jewelry (a ring with a similar image or a Maltese cross pendant) is another matter, because in this case we are talking only about decoration, and not about an esoteric emblem. The Maltese cross looks majestic, it inspires respect and even reverence. Probably, there is still some hidden power in him, which we have yet to learn about.
