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I would like some precisions about 2 affirmations :
<< Though other explanations of the Christian combination of circle and cross have been made, it should be noted that the "Celtic" cross is rare outside the former extent of Odin's cult. >>
<< A form of this symbol [sun cross] – with the arms of the cross extended beyond the perimeter of the circle – was adopted by Christians who often extended the lower arm in the manner of a Christian cross. >>
I moved the following text to this page. It looks like OR unsupported by any other researcher, and there are a number of missing facts: which instrument?, how was is it used?, was it actually used?
BillC 09:00, 6 November 2005 (UTC)
The celtic cross is present in Romania in popular art from a very long time.Radys 11:35, 5 March 2006 (UTC)
Is this bit about the word 'cross' coming from vikings definite, only i thought i remembered reading somewhere that it had come from irish..? I remember the book in question saying that the two words were both used for a while and i think it was cited as one of the few irish/celtic? words to be adopted into english... I may be wrong it was a long time ago and I cant even remember the book title!
I was always under the impression that the word cross came from Norse 'Kors', meaning cross. 91.105.157.243 (talk) 15:45, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
I added a reference to the pre-Christian origins (or symbolism of the celtic cross) as an example the Callanish Stones on the isle of Lewis. It was constructed 3000BC and is celtic cross shaped. If anyone knows of another example please feel free to add. .Celtic Harper 10:10, 25th July 2006 (UTC)
Should it perhaps also be noted that the general design of the temple at newgrange is essentially a celtic cross (which dates to 3200BC)?
What are the differences between the Celtic cross and the High cross? Should both article be merged? If not, why? Thank you
David Latapie (✒ | @) 10:23, 2 September 2006 (UTC)
Hey just wondering about the celtic lion compared with the english lions... if any....
thanks!
I recently heard a contemporary historian of the Iona Community alleging that the Celtic cross originates there, and that the addition of the circle had a technical role in strengthening crosses of unprecedented stature (see High cross). The theory is plausible, but perhaps we also shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the Celtic cross also resembles a crosshair, a skeletal horoscope, as well as an archaic theta, perhaps therefore evocative of theos - as well as the eternal circle symbolism (and the design of a helmet with reinforcing crosspieces which proved decisive in ancient battle). —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 212.100.250.217 (talk) 21:18, August 20, 2007 (UTC)
In heraldry the celtic cross is known as the cross nowy (from the old French for 'knotted').
Too much is uncited. In my opinion, it is nonsense as well. If cites can be found, it can stand, otherwise it goes. Google "Celtic cross nationalist" and this article turns up first. patsw (talk) 22:15, 20 April 2008 (UTC)
the article that had been linked explicitly said that the celtic cros WAS NOT banned in Germany despite it's extremist use, because it was too commonplace.
You are correct (see p. 179 in the linked pdf of the reference). Thus I changed it.RoastDack (talk) 02:03, 8 February 2010 (UTC)
While the conjecture that the Celtic Cross may have its origins in the Ankh of the Coptic chursh is interesting, it is wrong to overlook the more obvious connection to the Sun Cross, a symbol long associated with the Celts. The obvious fusion of traditions of the Christian Cross and the fact that the ancient Irish were sun worshipers with common religious themes of death and resurection are a much more plausible explanation then the leap of intellect to associate the Celtic Cross with the Ankh. Usually the simplest explanation is right, and I wouldn't ascribe too much to a similarity or accident of geometry.
People seem to be confusing the original Celtic cross with the Celtic Christian cross. As the article points out, the Celtic cross is pre-Christian in origin. This is the original version (notice the arms of equal length) and this is the Christian version (notice the bottom arm is longer than the rest). The Christian version was often (but not always) used for high crosses. ~Asarlaí 15:12, 9 August 2009 (UTC)
Could the Celtic Cross be related to the early Christian "Crown of Thorns Cross", halfway down in http://www.pravmir.ru/article_1347.html Image location: http://www.wco.ru/biblio/books/hist-cr/design/029.gif The one on this "Orthodox World Website" shows the wreath on a Russian 3 bar cross. Of course, Orthodox use regular crosses without the "three bars" too. So maybe you could have a crown of thorns cross without a 3 bar?Rakovsky (talk) 01:11, 12 April 2010 (UTC)
This usage should be mentioned in the article, I think. I just heard it on NPR. Wikipedia also says so here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascist_symbolism —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.125.38.175 (talk) 14:20, 9 February 2010 (UTC)
Quote: "In Germany, the Celtic cross was adopted by a prohibited neo-Nazi party (VSBD/PdA) but its public display was not banned by the German government" This is in strict contrast with the German wikipedia article which explicitly states that the celtic cross is banned in Germany, thereby referring to decision 0209/08 of the Supreme Court of Germany, see [1]. Guidod (talk) 08:56, 8 May 2010 (UTC)
Good catch! I was unaware of the Supreme Court ruling. However, I downloaded it, and translated it using Babelfish (my German is not very fluent). Here is what it said:
"The ambiguity of the Keltenkreuzes, which was not only in representative arrangement emblem of the forbidden VSBD/PdA, but also as harmless symbol, in particular in culturalhistorical or religious being connected although to that extent rather rarely as representative indication - is used, can in the opinion the senate not thereby calculation are carried that the applicability § 86 A of the StGB is limited in cases, in which the representative Keltenkreuz a concrete purchase for the forbidden organization exhibits. A restricting of the criminal offence existence in such a way made would run that far strained protection purpose of the standard contrary and would offer in particular to supporters of the VSBD/PdA various possibilities of establishing the representative Keltenkreuz unpunished again as symbol of the forbidden combination in the public life. This danger can effectively only by a general prohibition of the use of the representative Keltenkreuzes in the public are met.
"Exceptions of this principle are valid however in continuation of the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to the condition-conformal design § for 86 A of the StGB if the outside circumstances of the use of the symbol clearly devoted that the protection purpose § of the StGB does not affect 86 A, thus the symbol is used obviously in a harmless connection."''
It seems the second paragraph says that it may be OK if it is clearly being used for religious purposes.RoastDack (talk) 15:50, 20 June 2010 (UTC)
If I may ask, what of a person with a Celtic Cross tattoo travels to Germany where the sign is banned. Is the person going to get arrested for it? Norum 06:27, 2 September 2010 (UTC)
One of the worst, poorly researched, misleading wiki posts ever. Any attempt to tie the Celtic Cross to Neo-Nazism demonstrates a complete and absolute ignorance of history. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.76.158.47 (talk) 04:17, 6 September 2010 (UTC)
One of the worst, poorly researched, misleading wiki posts ever. Any attempt to tie the Celtic Cross to Neo-Nazism demonstrates a complete and absolute ignorance of history —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.76.158.47 (talk) 04:20, 6 September 2010 (UTC)
There are millions of graves and memorials using the Celtic Cross. It has zero relationship to fascism. The only tie is a deliberate attempt to mislead and turn millions of innocent Christians into something they are not. Ask yourself who would want to do such a thing? btw-Hitler was very much anti-Religion/anti-Christianity. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.76.158.47 (talk) 04:28, 6 September 2010 (UTC)
I'd like to remind editors and potential editors of this article about WP:NPOV and WP:SOAP when it comes to the term British Isles. As much as some groups (governments included) and individuals may find the term British Isles distasteful when applied to "these islands" - it remains the case that the term has applied to these islands for far longer than have ideas like a united Ireland, or even a United Kingdom. The term itself comes, through Greek and Latin, from the original Celtic name for the islands. I can't say I'm exactly happy with the term, but NPOV and SOAP dictate I keep my views out of the articles and stick to the facts. Obviuously, this is open for discussion and I'm no dictator, but it seems fairly clear-cut to me. Jack of Many (talk) 04:14, 20 September 2011 (UTC)
The expression "Celtic cross" for crosses outside Ireland and a part of Great-Britain is clearly abusive (except those imitated from there). The French examples are not Celtic crosses (and there are less in Brittany than in Normandy or in Limousin) and the Galician crosses too. There are crosses with nimbus, but not Celtic crosses, the Celtic crosses are a kind of crosses with nimbus. They correspond to an evolution of the discoidal slabs we can find everywhere. Just a look on this well-made site http://sgdelestaing.pagesperso-orange.fr/index.htm. Regards Nortmannus (talk) 20:03, 16 February 2012 (UTC)
Hi, very interesting, indeed. As long as I know, and I am speaking of Spain and of the Iberian peninsula, these Galician interlaced crosses are unique, thought I wouldn't be much surprised if they were to be found in Asturias or in northern Castille. On the origin of its use, well, the oldest known are to be found in Romanesque churches, so they can have reached Galicia from beyond the Pirinees (but then, we would expect to find them also in Castille), or even directly from the British isles, maybe with the Britons migrants who established in northern Galicia in the 6th century, or later. Cheers.--Froaringus (talk) 15:09, 17 February 2012 (UTC)
I would be grateful for other editors views on whether or not the section titled "Nationalist use" should be changed. A unregistered IP user with a poor edit warring record has twice changed the sub-head and text to "Neo-Nazi", including a spelling error to "Neo-nazist". I have reverted these edits as I feel the wording Nationalist is more neutral. Would other editors care to comment? David J Johnson (talk) 17:53, 4 April 2015 (UTC)
I suggest moving the lower part of this article to a new article named 'Cross and circle symbols', as these are certainly not Celtic Crosses. A Celtic Cross has one of it's four parts longer than the other three - the lower vertical part which holds the cross in the ground. A Celtic Cross also has Christian conotations; the ones at the bottom of the article do not. Llywelyn2000 (talk) 11:34, 6 August 2015 (UTC)
I suggest that the sections entitled "Nationalist Usage" and "Zodiac Killer" should be moved to the article on Sun Crosses. There is no basis, other than the similarity in shape to conflate the main topic of Celtic Crosses discussed in this article with these two topics. White Supremacists groups, like the Nazi's before them, are attempting to tap into the Wagnerian Nordic myth and thus the use of an "Odin's Cross". The image on the flag showing a cross with arms of equal length and proportionate to the circle is not a representation of a Celtic cross. As the article states, no one knows why the Zodiac killer used a circle and cross symbol to sign his letters, so why then should we imply by its inclusion in this article that the killer was attempting to tie in to the image of a Celtic cross? The killer could have just as easily been trying to use the Astronomical symbol for the planet Earth or even Venus.
A reference source such as Wiki should take great care and be conservative in conflating topics and thereby creating correlations that are not substantiated. Ncosgrov (talk) 16:22, 28 August 2015 (UTC)
Agree.Hohenloh + 17:01, 28 August 2015 (UTC)
I've removed the section. It's completely off-topic and incorrect. The symbol the white nationalists use is a sun cross. Edgespath24 (talk) 14:21, 6 October 2018 (UTC) I've made sun cross the first "see also". Edgespath24 (talk) 14:26, 6 October 2018 (UTC)
Someone is changing the article to ignore archaeological evidence, here is the source to prove otherwise: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callanish_Stones#/media/File:Plan_of_the_Callanish_Stones.png
Solid evidence that is clear to the eye and sourced trumps artistic emotions and religious convictions. Please stop removing empirical evidence due to personal opinion. You can write a controversy section if you have a problem with it. Your opinion does not change the archaeological site and never will. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 142.162.96.135 (talk) 20:00, 2 October 2015 (UTC)
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I'm referring to "This stems from the use of the Celtic cross by Norwegian Nazis during World War II." I don't know if it's true or not, either way I feel the source is lacking.
"Norwegian Nazis used a version of the symbol in the 1930s and 1940s." This is the only information relating to the statement on the wikipedia page.
Since I'm a novice regarding editing I thought I'd at least let my opinion heard here, and let someone more experience decide.
Wiki - [1]
Source - [2] — Preceding unsigned comment added by Invasivart (talk • contribs) 08:42, 27 March 2017 (UTC)
References
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It seems legit, albeit biased in some ways, but I want to make sure. However, the spelling and grammar errors (along with the obvious reference to where images are supposed to be) don't seem to make this credible enough.
The "Celtic" cross is an ancient solar symbol. In Europe it predates Christianity by at least 5000 years. It was first found among Vinca culture symbols in the Balkans which were dated to the 6th and 5th millenium bc. so the common christian explanation can not be true as many believe.
Roots of the Celtic Cross
The ancient Celts were first mentioned by early Roman historians in the fifth century BC. They were warlike tribes who lived in the foothills of the Alps in southern France. They gradually expanded their territory and eventually migrated to Britain and Ireland. When we think of Irish Celtic Art, we tend to associate it with these people to arrived on our shores and brought their visual art with them. In particular, we refer to period of artistic expression after they had been Christianized during the early part of the fifth century. This Celtic art is best expressed in the iconic knotwork found in Irish Celtic crosses. muiredach celtic cross
Celtic Cross of Muiredach, found at the monastery at Monasterboice, County Louth.
The Celts believed themselves to be part of a complex natural system. Central to this system is the concept of a center or cosmic axis, imagined as an oak tree carrying mistletoe, whose branches support the canopy of heaven and the roots joining the underground world. It thus linked together three superimposed worlds: the Heavens (not the same as christian heaven), the Earth of the humans and the Underground world.
The early symbolism of The Cross
Since the fifth century The Celts have used the simplest representation of a cross, a circle and a superimposed cross, to explain the interconnectedness of the world. The cross represents the four major directions, with the circle indicating the limits of territory that surrounds the central point. The cross also suggests the movement of the sun, not only throughout the day from sunrise to sunset, but also its journey through the annual events of solstices and equinoxes.
Dragons and the Celtic Knot
Early Celtic art also incorporates the emblem of the pair of dragons. Intertwining dragons form the basis of the stylized Celtic knot we are so familiar with today. The knotwork was typically used to decorate weapons, especially sword scabbards and shields of Celtic warriors. According to an account of the Welsh Mabinogi, such dragons would have been found on Excalibur, the legendary sword of King Arthur.
Rather than subdue the pagan world the people of Ireland were won over to Christianity by adopting pagan beliefs and traditions to the new faith. Pagan springs became holy wells and pagan festivals became patterns in the Christian calendar. Even Celtic heroes evolved into Saints. Saint Brigid was a goddess of Pre-Christian Ireland, associated with the spring season, fertility, healing and poetry. The ultimate representation of the evolution of early Celtic Art into Celtic Christian art can be found in the example of the Irish Celtic High Cross. The pattern is arranged vertically with Christ figure in the center representing the connection between the heavenly, terrestrial and infernal worlds. The earliest pagan symbolism reused to represent Christianity. Saint Patrick was a clever fellow.
So to say that the Celtic Cross is Christian, seems to be a a bit untrue. but we will give you the christian version as well/ it is as follows.
It seems pretty clear to me from the discussion history on this page that there was once a time when this article documented this symbol's use in Neo Nazi/white supremacist imagery. However, the discussions do not make it clear when or why this was removed. It seems somewhat suspicious that this information was ostensibly removed without consensus. Elijah (talk) 19:13, 21 June 2019 (UTC)
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The Celtic Cross I believe predates Christianity, there is plenty of information online that seems to confirm this. This article clearly shows stone that have and etches cross with a circle before the birth of Christ, there are a lot more. Is there some problem with including this information? I see that this symbol has been appropriated by some nasty people is this the reason? Because you should still include truth. The Irish flag and the St Andrews Cross get appropriated every time there is a soccer tournament. I have never posted here before I was watching an Irish movie so I looked this up and Wikipedia seemed at odds with reality, if I have done something wrong please tell me.
https://irishfireside.com/2015/02/03/history-symbolism-celtic-cross/ Joncurl (talk) 19:57, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
There is no findings of pagan sun wheels in the ancient Gaelic world. It therefore makes no sense to suggest that the Celtic Christian cross was based on a pre-Christian symbol that never existed.The white supremacistmversion of the symbol is also an incorrect representation as Celtoc crosses are not shaped with equal lengths like it depicts. 84.203.148.201 (talk) 22:21, 31 January 2024 (UTC)
It was used by Nazis in Norway in the 1930s and 1940s
This isn't true. I'm guessing the Nazis are Nasjonal Samling, which used a Sun cross (they called it the Olaf's cross). On the sun cross page, there's even an excerpt that mentions the difference: "The Celtic wheel cross is not a sun symbol though superficially similar". Schlatters (talk) 07:42, 20 June 2024 (UTC)