What does Maltese cross symbolize?

What does Maltese cross symbolize?

The Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the firefighter who wears this cross is willing to lay down his/her life for you, just as Crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so may years ago.

Why is it called the Maltese cross?

The Maltese cross is named after the island of Malta, which came to be the home of the Knights of St. ... The Knights of St. John existed during the 11th and 12 centuries. The armor worn by the Knights covered their entire bodies as well as their faces.

What do the 4 sides of the Maltese cross represent?

The four arms of the Maltese cross represent the four Cardinal Values, i.e. prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. As for the total of eight points on these four V-shaped arms, it is believed that they symbolize the eight obligations or aspirations of the knights.

What do the 8 points of the firefighter Maltese cross represent?

John in 1126, stylistically owes its origins to the crosses used in the crusades, when it was identified as the symbol of the “Christian warrior”: Its eight points denote the eight obligations or aspirations of the knights, namely “to live in truth, have faith, repent one's sins, give proof of humility, love justice, ...

What religion uses the Maltese cross?

the Christian religion cross, the principal symbol of the Christian religion, recalling the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the redeeming benefits of his Passion and death. The cross is thus a sign both of Christ himself and of the faith of Christians.

Is the Maltese cross a religious symbol?

The Maltese cross has origins dating back to the Crusades and the Knights Hospitaller. These knights bore the cross, a religious symbol, on their uniforms. ... Following the Crusades, the Knights made their way to the island of Malta in the 16th century, where the cross remained in use.

What religion uses the Maltese Cross?

the Christian religion cross, the principal symbol of the Christian religion, recalling the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the redeeming benefits of his Passion and death. The cross is thus a sign both of Christ himself and of the faith of Christians.

Is the Maltese Cross Catholic?

One of the clearest and most lasting legacies of the Knights of Malta however, branded across nearly every souvenir in the country, is the Maltese cross. ... As the cross was a Catholic symbol adopted and worn by the Knights, many similar crosses can actually be found on flags, coats of arms, and other logos.

What does the Maltese cross look like?

The Maltese cross is a cross symbol, consisting of four "V" or arrowhead shaped concave quadrilaterals converging at a central vertex at right angles, two tips pointing outward symmetrically. It is a heraldic cross variant which developed from earlier forms of eight-pointed crosses in the 16th century.

What is the Maltese cross firefighter?

It means that the firefighter who wears this cross is willing to lay down his life, just as the crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so many years ago. The Maltese Cross is a firefighters badge of honour signifying that he works in courage – a ladder rung away from death.

What is the origin of the Maltese cross?

• The Maltese Cross formally adopted by the Knights Hospitallers of St. John in 1126, stylistically owes its origins to the crosses used in the crusades, when it was identified as the symbol of the “Christian warrior”: Its eight points denote the eight obligations or aspirations of the knights,...

What kind of Cross does the Military Order of Malta use?

• Emblem of the Military Order of Malta on the façade of San Giovannino dei Cavalieri, Florence (1699). The Knights Hospitaller during the Crusades used a plain Latin cross. Occasional use of the modern form straight-edged "eight-pointed cross" by the order begins in the early 16th century.

What does the Maltese cross mean to firefighters?

• If you take a look at almost any fire apparatus today, you’re likely to see the Maltese cross. While it’s not really there for aesthetic appeal, this emblem has a very rich history and it symbolized an elite group of people that have dedicated their lives to serve their everyone in need.

Is the Maltese cross a permanent fixture in Malta?

• It seems that the Maltese Cross, a symbol which chivalric warriors first wore with pride hundreds of years ago in far­away lands, has found a permanent home on this little archipelago in the middle of the Mediterranean! Get my best Malta travel tips by email!