Written by Gustave - Updated on Nov 1, 2024
More than just jewelry, each cross pendant is a sacred object of great importance in Christianity. The cross symbolizes Christ's love for every person on earth. It's a sacred religious symbol that many people wear as a sign of divine protection. At one time,cross pendants were worn by medieval knights and men of great authority, such as Constantine I and the ancient popes.
Today, in addition to ancient Christian icons and priests of all generations, the cross pendant for men has become widespread among all men who absolutely want to keep a sacred symbol of God. How is it that such a sacred object of Christianity has become a piece of jewelry used by so many men today? Could it be a desire to convert to religion? Or perhaps a cross pendant is the perfect symbol for keeping faith in your life?
In this article, you'll find out why so many men wear crosses around their necks, whether they're priests or celebrities, and how the cross-wearing trend came to be in modern times.
1) Cross Pendant: how it appeared
A. The popularity of the Cross pendant
All over the world, images of the cross adorn church walls and steeples. For some Christians, the cross is part of their daily attire, worn around the neck. In Egypt, for example, clerics wear a tattoo of the cross on their wrist.
Clearly, today the cross is accepted as the most popular symbol of Christianity. But most specialists believe that the first Christians did not use the cross as an image of their religion. Crucifixion evoked the shameful death of a slave or criminal. Researchers say that the first public image of Jesus' crucifixion was on the fifth-century wooden doors of the Basilica of Santa Sabina. Since it took around 400 years for Jesus' crucifixion to become an acceptable public image, researchers have traditionally believed that this means the cross didn't originally function as a symbol for Christians. But over the years, this thinking has changed.
Today, the cross is a symbol of Jesus' death and resurrection. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches display images of Jesus still hanging on the cross. It's a reminder of his suffering. Protestants display images of an empty cross as a reminder that Jesus died and came back to life. 🕊️
B. The cross worn by celebrities
Why do celebrities wear crosses? We might simply come to believe that wearing a cross pendant would affirm that a desire to expand one's faith has manifested itself in the artist's life. While many women wear a Christian cross in the form of a bracelet, ring or cross necklace, men have begun to attach themselves to the cross, whether it's Steven Tyler, or Johnny Hallyday wearing a cross that he himself had forged in silver.
The idea of men wanting to wear a cross pendant may be linked to the search for an accessory for style, as many celebrities do, but it's also to keep the sacred good luck charm belonging to God. Each of the cross pendants was made to represent the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
JOHNNY HALLYDAY
For years, Johnny Hallyday has kept his silver cross pendant sculpted with Jesus Christ. Unlike all traditional Christian crosses, this cross was carved with an electric guitar. 🎸
Could it be an emblem of the artist and his career? Johnny Hallyday never said much about the cross-shaped pendant he wore. The cross was an integral part of the rocker's image. On the cover of one of his albums, Jamais seul, the cross was tattooed on Johnny in black. Even with all the information found about the artist, it's very difficult to know the true origins of this cross pendant. Like Johnny Hallyday, these fans, especially the men, began wearing this pendant around their necks to show their love for Johnny.
STEVEN TYLER
Rock star Steven Tyler has secured his place in rock music by releasing songs that set himself free. His style reveals a self-confidence that lies deep in his soul. The mix of jewelry he wears with a cross-shaped pendant expresses this spirit. A desire not unlike Johnny's to wear a cross for the faith it brings to his life, but also to enhance his self-esteem. Psalm 34:5: God is not present in everyone's life to make them timid, but to make us stronger and more confident, and to help us live without inner fear. I sought the Lord, and he answered me. He delivered me from all my fears.
DOMINIC TORETTO: DIESEL WINE
A cult character from the Fast and Furious saga, played by Vin Diesel, one of Hollywood's most famous actors. Throughout the film, the character wears a solid silver cross around his neck, whether during car races or at a tragic moment in the film. Could it be a coincidence that the character wears the cross in every shot of the film? In fact, the cross is of great importance to all the films in the saga. Like the union that God has created by uniting thousands of Christians to follow the path of eternal life, Dominic Toretto, being very attached to his loved ones, keeps a pendant of the cross close to him as a good luck charm that will enable him to always reunite his family, whatever the danger.
C. Pendant Cross Man : Medieval
One of the first groups to wear a cross was the Knights Templar. The Knights Templar were a group of elite warriors during Europe's holy wars against Islamic armies in the Holy Land. The area around Jerusalem where Christ was believed to live and die. These wars were called the Crusades and took place in the Middle Ages, around 1000-1500. They were ordered to carry the cross into battle. It was the Christian symbol that protected Templar soldiers in great battles. They firmly believed that the cross they wore would protect them. 🛡️
Never doubt the cross you wear! They all have a divine force within them that will protect you from all negative vibes and the demon Satan. Like a crusading knight wearing his cross on his shield and warrior armor, wear your cross which, like every Christian cross, will protect you with God by your side. 🙏
2) Christian history: the birth of the cross pendant
History tells us that wooden crosses had different designs. The question many people ask is: are there any historical facts concerning the illustrations of the shape of ancient crosses? What is the significance of all the crosses of Jesus Christ?
The significance of the cross is not its design or construction, but its symbolic meaning. It is the symbol of Jesus' death. It is symbolic of the fact that Jesus died in order to forgive mankind of sin.
A. Significance of the Cross of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ died on a wooden cross. He died because certain Jewish leaders plotted to pressure Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea, to put Him to death by crucifixion (Matthew 27:1, 11-20; Luke 23:13-24). The Roman soldiers had already beaten him and placed a crown of thorns on his head (John 19:1-5). After the decision to crucify Christ was announced, Jesus was forced to carry the cross on which he was to die (John 19:17-18). He had to carry the very instrument of his death. Later, it became the sacred symbol of Jesus' death to forgive the sins of the world.
B. Jesus Christ and his rejected Cross
Although the word “cross” was so repugnant that Cicero and other Roman elites wanted nothing to do with it, each of the Gospel writers recounts Jesus' crucifixion in astonishing detail. According to Mark, Jesus' death on the cross is not only necessary, but an example of the service required to be a true disciple (8:34-38). Similarly, Jesus' death on the cross is not presented as shameful or humiliating in John's Gospel; Jesus' crucifixion is envisioned as a saving event foretold by Moses when he lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14).
C. The Crucifixion according to the Romans: Spartacus crucified
The word “cross” was offensive to the Romans. One Roman insulted another by using it on graffiti discovered in the strabian baths of Pompeii: May you be nailed to the cross! Classical texts also use the term “cross” in curses. The Roman writer Plautus, for example, uses the expression “go to a bad cross” as slang for going to hell. Even the Latin word for cross (crux) sounded harsh to the ears, according to Saint Augustine (De Dialectica 10.10).
The Romans mainly reserved crucifixion for criminals and rebellious foreigners. The first-century Jewish historian Josephus reports numerous instances of the Romans crucifying Jews. Of course, when the Romans crucified rebels and criminals, the cross was more than a punishment; it was also a deterrent. For example, the Romans crucified Spartacus and his rebellious slaves on the Appian Way for all to see from Capua to Rome (Appian, The Civil Wars 1.120). A long row of crosses to which rebellious slaves were attached must have discouraged other slaves from revolting against their masters in the same way.
D. The Cross: a symbol of heaven
According to the fifth-century Christian historian Sozomen, Constantine abolished crucifixion out of a special respect for the power and victory he received through the symbol of the cross (Church History 1.8). This abolition certainly changed the Roman perception of the cross. Simply put, Constantine's public endorsement of the cross changed its connotation. From a repulsive device for the execution of slaves, foreigners and Roman citizens of low social status, it became a public and revered symbol.
Constantine did not create the symbol of the cross. Rather, he adopted it as a new symbol for his empire, which had converted to Christianity. Of course, this means that when craftsmen depicted the crucified Jesus on the wooden doors of Santa Sabina in the fifth century, the cross was no longer an offensive image. On the contrary! The image of the cross had already been transformed from an execution device to a symbol of Christianity. And soon, the image of the crucifix would adorn the walls and steeples of churches the world over, making the cross the pre-eminent symbol of Christianity.
E. Ancient representations of the Christian Cross
Although the image of Jesus on the cross was not very popular in the second and third centuries, researchers have identified at least a few instances where Christians depicted it. Perhaps the earliest Christian representation of the cross can be found in the iconography of their papyrus manuscripts, in particular the Staurogram, or shape of the cross made by overlapping the Greek letters Rho and Tau. A more obvious representation of the cross can be found in a third-century jewel in the British Museum, which depicts a crucified Jesus with an inscription listing various magical words.
In addition, some scholars argue that the depiction of figures with outstretched arms in early Christian works of art could be the archetypal representation of Jesus on the cross. Such a theory is supported by Christian texts from the second and third centuries, which mention Christians (particularly martyrs) making the sign of the cross by stretching out their arms.
The Best Cross Pendants for Men
Over the years, demand for men's cross pendants has risen sharply. They have become a must-have religious accessory for every man. Men of all ages and from all parts of the world have shown a keen interest in cross pendants. Above all, they are a beautiful sacred charm to wear for God's protection.
