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For other uses, see Crucifix (disambiguation).

The Crucifix, cross with the corpus (Body of Christ) is an ancient symbol used within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox churches, and Anglican churches, in contrast with some Protestant sects, which use only a cross.

A crucifix (from Latin cruci fixus meaning "(one) fixed to a cross") is a cross with a representation of Jesus' body, or corpus. It is a principal symbol of the Christian religion. It is primarily used in the Catholic Church, but is also used in Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Lutheran churches, and it emphasizes Jesus' sacrifice — his death by crucifixion, which Christians believe brought about the redemption of mankind. Large crucifixes on the central axis of a church are known by the Old English term rood.

[edit] The Crucifix

Eastern Orthodox crucifix, from the Catholicon of Holy Trinity Monastery, Meteora, Greece. The figure is flat and painted, on a board extended beyond the cross beams for the purpose.

On some crucifixes a skull and crossbones are shown below the corpus, referring to Golgotha (Calvary), the site at which Jesus was crucified—"the place of the skull." It was probably called "Golgotha" because it was a burial-place, or possibly because of a legend that the place of Jesus' crucifixion was also the burial place of Adam. The standard, four-pointed Latin crucifix consists of an upright stand and a crosspiece to which the sufferer's arms were nailed.

The Eastern Christian crucifix usually includes two additional crossbars: the shorter nameplate, to which INRI (Greek: INBI) was affixed; and the longer stipes, to which the feet were nailed, which is angled upward toward penitent thief Saint Dismas (to the viewer's left) and downward toward impenitent thief Gestas (to the viewer's right). It is thus eight-pointed. The corpus (Greek: soma) of Eastern crucifixes tend to be two-dimensional icons that show Jesus as already dead, as opposed to the depictions of the still-suffering Jesus that can be found in some other Churches, his face is peaceful and somber. Also, Eastern crucifixes have Jesus' two feet nailed side by side, rather than one atop the other, as Western crucifixes do. The crown of thorns is also generally absent in Eastern crucifixes. The position of Jesus' body on the cross is very strong, as though rather than being suspended in defeat, he suppoting the entire universe on his outstreched arms.

Another, symbolic, depiction shows the triumphant risen Christ (clothed in robes, rather than stripped as for His execution) with arms raised, appearing to rise up from the cross, sometimes accompanied by "rays of light", or an aureole of glory encircling His Body.

[edit] Usage

An enshrined crucifix amidst the cornfields near Mureck in rural Styria, Austria.

Catholic (Eastern and Western Rite catholics) Orthodox, Coptic, Anglican and Lutheran Christians generally use the crucifix in public religious services. They believe the crucifix is in keeping with Scripture, which states that “we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Cor 1:23).

Prayer in front of a crucifix is often part of devotion for Christians, especially those worshipping in a church, and private devotion in a chapel. The person may sit, stand, or kneel in front of the crucifix, sometimes looking at it in contemplation, or merely in front of it with head bowed or eyes closed. In the Roman Catholic Mass, Anglican and Lutheran Holy Eucharist, a procession begins Mass in which a crucifix is carried forward into the church followed by lector and servers, the priest, deacon, along with some of the other items used in the service such as the Gospels and the altar candles.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the crucifix is often placed above the iconostasis in the church. In the Russian Orthodox Church a large crucifix ("Golgotha") is placed behind the Holy Table (Altar). A large crucifix is taken in procession to the center of the temple (church) during the Matins of Good Friday, where it is venerated by the faithful. Sometimes the soma (corpus) is removable and will be taken down off the crucifix at Vespers that evening during the Gospel lesson describing the Descent from the Cross. The empty cross may then remain in the center of the church until the Paschal vigil (local pratices vary). The blessing cross which the priest uses to bless the faithful at the dismissal will often have the crucifix on one side and an icon of the Resurrection of Jesus on the other, the side with the Resurrection being used on Sundays and durign Paschaltide, and the crucifix on other days.

Eastern Christian liturgical processions also include a crucifix at the head of the procession.

The crucifix is also used as an amulet by Christians. It is considered by some to be one of the most effective means of averting or opposing demons, as stated by many exorcists, including the famous exorcist of the Vatican, Father Gabriele Amorth. In folklore it is considered to ward off vampires, incubi, succubi, and other evils.

In terms of opposition, some have used an inverted (upside-down) crucifix when showing disdain for Jesus Christ or the Catholic Church which believe in His divinity. It is not uncommon for Satanists to use such symbolism in a form of protest.^[1] Interestingly, Saint Peter was martyred by being crucified upside-down. ^[2]

[edit] Controversies

Many Protestant churches will use a cross but no crucifix, and some use no cross at all.

Some Protestants disapprove of the use of the crucifix as opposed to the "empty" cross because they believe that the absence of Jesus Christ's body symbolizes the Resurrection while the presence of his body denies it. However, this view is held by a small minority. ^[3]

In 2005, a mother accused her daughter's school in Derby, England of discriminating against Christians after the teenager was suspended for refusing to take off a crucifix necklace. ^[4]

British Airways has faced legal action and calls for a boycott by Christians after it ruled an employee could not display a crucifix on her necklace. ^[5] A British prison ordered a multi-faith chapel to remove all crucifixes, presumably to avoid offending Muslims. ^[6]

In Spain, a local judge ordered crucifixes removed from public schools to settle a decades-old dispute over whether crucifixes should be displayed in public buildings in a non-confessional state. ^[7] A 2008 Quebec government report recommended that the crucifix of the National Assembly be removed to achieve greater pluralism, but the local Liberal party refused. ^[8]

On behalf of the European Court of Human Rights, Lautsi v. Italy ruled that crucifixes in Italian classrooms are contrary to parents' right to educate their children in line with their convictions. Crucifixes remain common in most other Italian official buildings, including courts of law.

[edit] Gallery

Detail from a carved portal, 6th century, Basilica of Santa Sabina all'Aventino, Rome.	Crucifix in front of the Holy Spirit Church in Košice, Slovakia	A handheld crucifix	A crucifix in a church, with votive candles.
Traditional enamelled Russian crucifix, 18th century.	A crucifix outside an Anglican church^[9]	A crucifix on the wall of a Manhattan church.	A "Calvaire" in Finesere, Britanny, a typically Breton form of crucifix with additional images of saints at Calvary and scenes from the Passion.
Earliest surviving depiction of the Crucifixion is the Alexamenos graffito from a wall near the Palatine Hill in Rome	A crucified Infant Jesus carried in the March for Life, 2009	Russian Orthodox crucifix, brass