What does a 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.
What does the 8 points on a Maltese cross mean?
With time, the eight points also came to represent the eight langues (or “tongues”, but in effect national groupings) of the noblemen who were admitted to the famed order, namely those of Auvergne, Provence, France, Aragon, Castille and Portugal, Italy, Baviere (Germany), and England (with Scotland and Ireland).
Where does the Maltese cross come from?
The Maltese cross is named after the island of Malta, which came to be the home of the Knights of St. John. The Knights of St. John existed during the 11th and 12 centuries.
Is Maltese cross Catholic?
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. However, it will always be most closely associated with these islands in the mediterranean and their story.
Is the Maltese Cross a Masonic symbol?
In US York Rite Freemasonry, the Knights Templar (Freemasonry) use the eight-pointed cross in the Order of the Knights of Malta. The Military Division of the Kappa Alpha Order, composed of members serving in or honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces, uses an eight-pointed cross in the colors of The Order.
Is the Maltese cross a Masonic symbol?
Did the Knights Templar use the Maltese Cross?
In US York Rite Freemasonry, the Knights Templar (Freemasonry) use the eight-pointed cross in the Order of the Knights of Malta.
Why do firefighters use the Maltese Cross?
It means that the Fire Fighter who wears this cross is willing to lay down his life for you just as the crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so many years ago. The Maltese Cross is a Fire Fighter’s badge of honor, signifying that he works in courage…a ladder rung away from death.
Can anyone wear the Maltese cross?
When it comes to the Maltese Cross badge there is a definite meaning that anyone that has ever worn a fire department badge or firefighter insignia should know. It dates back hundreds of years and is a symbol that represents a person who is willing to defend others and their community, no matter the cost.
When did the Maltese cross originate?
The Maltese cross is an eight-pointed cross formed by four v-shaped elements that each meet at its vertex. The shape itself has origins dating back to Byzantine culture in the 6th century. It was originally a white cross placed on a red or black backdrop.