The Maltese cross, the cross of the Johannites, the cross of St. John of Jerusalem, and the Cross of St. George received their name due to the widespread use of this symbol by the knightly order of the Hospitallers.
The Maltese cross is a four-pointed cross with equal vertical and horizontal ends. Their sides diverge from the center.
The common belief that the eight corners are symbols of the eight most powerful states at the time of the Hospitallers' action is a lie, since there is no single list or known historical document confirming this, and the list of countries itself turns out to be nine.
This cross is widely used as a form for orders.
Symbolism
The eight sharp angles formed by the swallowtails on the cross represent the eight knights who founded the order. These knights were from the following European lands: Auvergne (France), Provence (France), Aragon (Spain), Castile (Spain), Portugal, Italy, Bavaria (Germany) and England (Britain).
The eight corners of the cross represent the virtues of knights: faith, mercy, truth, justice, sinlessness, humility, sincerity, patience.
Geography of use of the Maltese cross
In one form or another it is used on coats of arms, emblems, insignia in Russia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, India, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Britain, USA.
Maltese cross in Russia
It is noteworthy that the Maltese cross was used on the coat of arms of the Russian Empire (see article coat of arms of Russia) in 1800.
The Maltese cross, as a symbol of the Order of St. John, was included in the full coat of arms of the Russian Empire by Paul the First on December 16, 1800. The text of the manifesto said: “Having assumed the Title of Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, WE have united the Cross of this Order with OUR Coat of Arms.” In 1801, Alexander I on April 26, 1801 ordered the use of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire without the cross of John of Jerusalem. During this period, the Maltese cross began to be used in the family heraldry of the Russian Empire.
The Maltese cross also appeared in some Russian noble coats of arms. This cross was used on the coats of arms of those families that were awarded the Order of St. during the reign of Paul I. John of Jerusalem. These genera include: Argutinsky-Dolgoruky, Velgo, Orlov-Denisov.
Maltese cross on flags
The founders of the Jerusalem hospital were residents of the city of Amalfi, in which the Maltese cross is still used both on the flag and on the coat of arms of the city.
(Johnnites - members of the Catholic spiritual knightly order of St. John, founded in the 12th century in Palestine). The symbol comes from the coat of arms of the Italian city of Amalfi, people from which were the founders of the Jerusalem hospital, which gave rise to the order.
The Maltese cross also appeared in some Russian noble coats of arms (as a rule, as a sign of awarding the head of the family in the time of Paul with the Order of St. John of Jerusalem): princes Argutinsky-Dolgoruky, barons Velgo, counts Orlov-Denisov, counts Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Tolstoy.
The Maltese cross has been preserved since Pavlovian times in the coats of arms of the suburbs of St. Petersburg - Pavlovsk and Gatchina.
- The Maltese cross in modern urban symbols
Flag of the Republic of Amalfi.svg
Flag of Amalfi
Coat of Arms of Pavlovsk (municipality in St Petersburg).png
Coat of arms of Pavlovsk
Coat of Arms of Gatchina (v. 1).svg
Coat of arms of Gatchina
see also
Excerpt characterizing the Maltese cross (symbol)
Prince Andrei closed his eyes and turned away. Pierre, who had not taken his joyful, friendly eyes off him since Prince Andrey entered the living room, approached him and took him by the hand. Prince Andrei, without looking back, wrinkled his face into a grimace, expressing annoyance at the one who was touching his hand, but, seeing Pierre’s smiling face, he smiled with an unexpectedly kind and pleasant smile.- That's how it is!... And you are in the big world! - he said to Pierre.
“I knew you would,” answered Pierre. “I’ll come to you for dinner,” he added quietly, so as not to disturb the Viscount, who continued his story. - Can?
“No, you can’t,” said Prince Andrei laughing, shaking his hand to let Pierre know that there was no need to ask this.
He wanted to say something else, but at that time Prince Vasily stood up with his daughter, and two young men stood up to give them way.
“Excuse me, my dear Viscount,” said Prince Vasily to the Frenchman, affectionately pulling him down by the sleeve to the chair so that he would not get up. “This unfortunate holiday at the envoy’s place deprives me of pleasure and interrupts you.” “I’m very sad to leave your delightful evening,” he said to Anna Pavlovna.
His daughter, Princess Helen, lightly holding the folds of her dress, walked between the chairs, and the smile shone even brighter on her beautiful face. Pierre looked with almost frightened, delighted eyes at this beauty as she passed by him.
“Very good,” said Prince Andrei.
“Very,” said Pierre.
Passing by, Prince Vasily grabbed Pierre's hand and turned to Anna Pavlovna.
“Give me this bear,” he said. “He’s been living with me for a month, and this is the first time I’ve seen him in the world.” Nothing is needed young man, as a society of smart women.
Anna Pavlovna smiled and promised to take care of Pierre, who, she knew, was related to Prince Vasily on his father’s side. The elderly lady, who had previously been sitting ma tante, hastily stood up and caught up with Prince Vasily in the hallway. All the previous pretense of interest disappeared from her face. Her kind, tear-stained face expressed only anxiety and fear.
- What will you tell me, prince, about my Boris? – she said, catching up with him in the hallway. (She pronounced the name Boris with special emphasis on the o). – I can’t stay longer in St. Petersburg. Tell me, what news can I bring to my poor boy?
Despite the fact that Prince Vasily listened reluctantly and almost discourteously to the elderly lady and even showed impatience, she smiled tenderly and touchingly at him and, so that he would not leave, took his hand.
“What should you say to the sovereign, and he will be directly transferred to the guard,” she asked.
“Believe me, I will do everything I can, princess,” answered Prince Vasily, “but it’s difficult for me to ask the sovereign; I would advise you to contact Rumyantsev, through Prince Golitsyn: that would be smarter.
The elderly lady bore the name of Princess Drubetskaya, one of the best families in Russia, but she was poor, had long since left the world and had lost her previous connections. She has now come to secure a placement in the guard for her only son. Only then, in order to see Prince Vasily, did she introduce herself and come to Anna Pavlovna for the evening, only then did she listen to the Viscount’s story. She was frightened by the words of Prince Vasily; Once upon a time her beautiful face expressed anger, but this lasted only a minute. She smiled again and grabbed Prince Vasily’s hand more tightly.
The Maltese cross is a symbol that came to us from ancient times, but in this case a number of constructive explanations are necessary, since today most people associate the Maltese Cross exclusively with the activities of the Knights Hospitaller Order. 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 over the 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 connotation of the ancient sign? The fact is that the Hospitallers (aka Ioannites, and officially the Jerusalem, Rhodes and Maltese Sovereign Military Hospitable Order of St. John) originate from Amalfi. People from this Italian province were at the origins of the founding of a knightly-religious organization, which set itself the goal of protecting and helping pilgrims striving for the Holy Land.
Thus, the Maltese cross, the meaning of which in a religious context is quite obvious, became the symbol of the Hospitallers. 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. It should be noted that by the time the Order of Malta appeared (by the way, the oldest religious-knightly formation in Europe), the flag and coat of arms of the organization no longer included the Maltese cross. Just like 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) can only be attributed to the tradition of the Order of the Hospitallers. This is if we look at 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 the Brigades of St. John (Armed Forces of the United Kingdom).
Now let's move on to semantics, and this issue at 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 their use fair in this context? Moreover, most people who use these symbols in Everyday life, they are unlikely to actually imagine what the Maltese cross means, what is the original tradition of this esoteric emblem.
First, let's look at the “version” that belongs directly to the Order of the Hospitallers. In accordance with the tradition of the order, the eight tips of the cross represent the eight chivalric 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. Moreover, the four “rays” of the Maltese cross are a symbol of the four common Christian virtues (justice, prudence, temperance and fortitude). The white color (as already mentioned, the Maltese cross is always white) personifies purity of spirit and purity of intentions.
Sometimes the Maltese cross (we will look at the meaning of the symbol in esoteric terms below) is also called the Cross of John of Jerusalem, but its other name, the Cross of St. George, is fundamentally incorrect, since (and this has been mentioned more than once) in determining the Maltese cross plays a primary role 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 appearance. It is not difficult to understand Paul, because he was a member of the Order of Malta. Moreover, there is a version that the ruler of Russia occupied a fairly high position in the order and certain relics and ancient order artifacts were transferred to him for safekeeping. How true is the story about the artifacts? complex issue, 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 originally the symbol did not belong to any spiritual 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 (by feeding plants, animals and people) and take it away (during floods or storms). Duality, including 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 the “double base”, it is the penultimate step, it is a stop one step before absolute harmony. And in this context, the meaning of the Maltese Cross can be viewed somewhat differently. It is quite possible that the point of intersection of its four rays personifies the person himself, his will, which becomes the very “last step” on the path spiritual development. One way or another, 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 a different question, 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 awe. There is probably some hidden power in him that we have yet to discover.
It is difficult to find a person who has never seen the Maltese Cross in his life. This is not surprising, because this strange, unlike anything symbol is distributed almost all over the world, and it has been used by a variety of organizations. The reason for such popularity remains a mystery to this day. Scientists can only adjust the theory to real facts - nothing more. The truth remains unknown, and there is no guarantee that humanity will ever be able to solve this mystery. But that only makes it more interesting.
What is the Maltese Cross?
And in general, is it really a cross? The truth is revealed when you try to draw it. This symbol has its name for a reason; it is not a mistake. It really is a four-pointed cross. The unusual appearance is ensured by the divergence of the sides of all its ends from the center. By the way, this fact gave the “Maltese” another name - “eight-pointed cross”. As the reader can already understand, in reality he is not like that. The illusion is created by the bifurcation of all its ends.
The Maltese Cross acquired one of its first roles in the Order of the Hospitallers - this is how members of the Palestinian spiritual-knightly order called themselves, the founder of which was St. John of Jerusalem. Opinions differ about the meaning of this symbol. Some consider the eight ends to represent the corresponding number of military virtues, others - the heavenly bliss provided to the righteous members of the order, others - all the peoples who participated in its formation. Perhaps all these opinions are true, and the meaning of the cross is multifaceted. Each member of the order wore his image on his clothes and observed all eight virtues: humility, truth, faith, sinlessness, mercy, sincerity, justice, patience. The image of a sick man, with a cross at his head and a lamp at his feet, became the seal of the order.
Not so simple!
But the order did not become the creator of this symbol. The Maltese cross appeared many millennia earlier. There are two assumptions regarding its origin. According to the first, he is a symbol of the Ashtarian gods - the united holy four. According to the second, he is nothing more than a combination of the lunar and solar swastikas. It is difficult to say where the truth actually lies - we are left with only assumptions.
Maltese cross: meaning for Christianity
For modern church This symbol is very, very important. According to one theory, it expresses all four virtues of a true Christian: fortitude, prudence, temperance and justice. The eight ends, as in the time of the order, remain a designation of the bliss that awaits after death those who lived righteously.
Other meanings
In addition to all of the above, the Maltese cross denotes the union of the four essences of material, intangible and human. These are, respectively, water, earth, fire and air; energy, space, information and time; truth, love, wisdom and harmony.
Maltese cross in Russian heraldry
It should be noted that this symbol has been used more than once by the Russians. So, for quite a long time it was part of the complete coat of arms of the Russian Empire. In addition, the Maltese cross was used by such noble families as the Velgos, Kutuzovs, Orlovs, Tolstoys, Denisovs and Dolgorukies.
It is difficult to find a person who has never seen the Maltese Cross in his life. This is not surprising, because this strange, unlike anything symbol is distributed almost all over the world, and it has been used by a variety of organizations. The reason for such popularity remains a mystery to this day. Scientists can only adjust the theory to real facts - nothing more. The truth remains unknown, and there is no guarantee that humanity will ever be able to solve this mystery. But that only makes it more interesting.
What is the Maltese Cross?
And in general, is it really a cross? The truth is revealed when you try to draw it. This symbol has its name for a reason; it is not a mistake. It really is a four-pointed cross. The unusual appearance is ensured by the divergence of the sides of all its ends from the center. By the way, this fact gave the “Maltese” another name - “eight-pointed cross”. As the reader can already understand, in reality he is not like that. The illusion is created by the bifurcation of all its ends.
Ancient Order
The Maltese Cross acquired one of its first roles in the Order of the Hospitallers - this is how members of the Palestinian spiritual-knightly order called themselves, the founder of which was St. John of Jerusalem. Opinions differ about the meaning of this symbol. Some consider the eight ends to represent the corresponding number of military virtues, others - the heavenly bliss provided to the righteous members of the order, others - all the peoples who participated in its formation. Perhaps all these opinions are true, and the meaning of the cross is multifaceted. Each member of the order wore his image on his clothes and observed all eight virtues: humility, truth, faith, sinlessness, mercy, sincerity, justice, patience. The image of a sick man, with a cross at his head and a lamp at his feet, became the seal of the order.
Not so simple!
But the order did not become the creator of this symbol. The Maltese cross appeared many millennia earlier. There are two assumptions regarding its origin. According to the first, he is a symbol of the Ashtarian gods - the united holy four. According to the second, he is nothing more than a combination of the lunar and solar swastikas. It is difficult to say where the truth actually lies - we are left with only assumptions.
Maltese cross: meaning for Christianity
For the modern church, this symbol is very, very important. According to one theory, it expresses all four virtues of a true Christian: fortitude, prudence, temperance and justice. The eight ends, as in the time of the order, remain a designation of the bliss that awaits after death those who lived righteously.
Other meanings
In addition to all of the above, the Maltese cross denotes the union of the four essences of material, intangible and human. These are, respectively, water, earth, fire and air - energy, space, information and time - truth, love, wisdom and harmony.
Maltese cross in Russian heraldry
It should be noted that this symbol has been used more than once by the Russians. So, for quite a long time it was part of the complete coat of arms of the Russian Empire. In addition, the Maltese cross was used by such noble families as the Velgos, Kutuzovs, Orlovs, Tolstoys, Denisovs and Dolgorukies.
