The Celtic cross

          One of the most recognizable symbol in Ireland is the Celtic cross. When Christians arrived on the Celtic island in the 5^th century, they were adamant on spreading their religion but doing it in a way that would not upset the pagan traditions. The sun, seen as a symbol of life, was important to the pagan religion. In order to successfully merge Christianity and paganism, the Christians merged the famous cross with a circle to create the Celtic cross.

           

          Contrary to historical accounts, it is popularly believed that St. Patrick was responsible for the design of the cross. However, historians have found that the Celtic cross predates the birth of St. Patrick. The Celtic cross consists of a four rings and a cross with three arms and a base. There are three types of crosses, however. The first is the Celtic High cross, which refers to ones that are ornamental or ceremonial and are eight hundred years old. The second type date from the 12^th century onward and were used for marking territory; these are your regular Celtic crosses. The final type are the ones that can be seen in many places around the world. These are usually the headstones on people’s graves. This practice did not become popular until the 1860s.

          This cross is an important relic in Irish history because Christianity persists till this day. As our Irish language professor stated, many people may not attend mass but a high percentage of the population will claim to be Christian. The Celtic cross is still an important symbol and can be seen in museums as well as plenty of cemeteries in the country.