Coptic cross#History and variation

The typical form of the "Coptic cross" used in the Coptic Church is made up of two bold lines of equal length that intersect at the middle at right angles. Each line terminates in three points, representing the Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Altogether, the cross has 12 points symbolizing the Apostles, whose mission was to spread the Gospel message throughout the world.{{cite web|last=Goldman |first=Ari L. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/10/nyregion/coptic-pope-s-visit-cheers-faithful.html?pagewanted=print |title=Coptic Pope's Visit Cheers Faithful – The |work=New York Times |date=1989-10-10 |access-date=2011-01-02}}

This form of Coptic cross is widely used in the Coptic church and the Ethiopian and Eritrean churches, and so this form of the cross may also be called the "Ethiopian cross" or "Axum cross".{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} Bertran de la Farge dates it to the 4th century and cites it as a predecessor of the Occitan cross.{{cite web|url=http://pedagogie.ac-toulouse.fr/langues-vivantes/IMG/pdf/La_croix_occitane_VD.pdf|title=La croix occitane, dossier réalisé par O.Lamarque et C.Pujol, d'après un texte de Bertran de la Farge|date=n.d.|language=fr|website=disciplines.ac-toulouse.fr|access-date=2016-08-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011201016/http://pedagogie.ac-toulouse.fr/langues-vivantes/IMG/pdf/La_croix_occitane_VD.pdf|archive-date=2016-10-11|url-status=dead}}{{better source needed|date=October 2021}}

{{further|Crux ansata}}

File:Original Coptic cross.svg

Old Coptic crosses often incorporate a circle,{{cite web|url=http://www.seiyaku.com/customs/crosses/coptic.html |title=The Coptic Cross |publisher=Seiyaku.com |access-date=2011-01-02}}{{better source needed|date=October 2021}} as in the form called a "Coptic cross" by Rudolf Koch in his The Book of Signs (1933). Sometimes the arms of the cross extend through the circle (dividing it into four quadrants), as in the "Celtic cross".{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

In 1984, a modern variant of the Coptic cross composed of three bars intersecting at right angles in three dimensions was given as a gift by the Coptic Orthodox Church and mounted on the top of the All Africa Conference of Churches building since the Coptic Church is considered to be the mother church in Africa.{{cite web|url=http://www.copticafrica.org/books/Book%201%20English.pdf|title=Coptic Africa|access-date=2011-01-02|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722192925/http://www.copticafrica.org/books/Book%201%20English.pdf|archive-date=2011-07-22}}

Many Copts have the cross tattooed as a sign of faith on the inside of their right arm at the wrist.{{cite web|url=https://www.copticsolidarity.org/2022/03/03/the-story-behind-the-coptic-cross-tattoo/|title=The Story Behind the Coptic Cross Tattoo |publisher=Coptic Solidarity |date=2022-03-03 |access-date=2024-10-14}}

One of the forms of the Coptic cross, which is referred to as the Ethiopian Coptic cross,{{cite web |url=http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefscopticcross.htm |title=Alternative Religions |publisher=Altreligion.about.com |access-date=2011-01-02 |archive-date=2008-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923002456/http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefscopticcross.htm |url-status=dead }} was worn by Stevie Ray Vaughan.{{cite web|url=http://www.stevieray.com/images-a/art/cross.htm |title=Stevie Cross |publisher=Stevieray.com |access-date=2011-01-02}} Keith Richards{{cite web|url=http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i80/kait67/alifelessordinarykeithrichardsmariosorrentimaryammalakpouranOthermanfall_winter20101.jpg |title=Keith Cross |publisher=? |access-date=2012-01-21}} also wears an Ethiopian Coptic cross.

{{gallery

|File:Codex Glazier 2.JPG|Illuminated early form of Coptic cross at the end of the 4th–5th century Coptic Codex Glazier

|File:Coptic Relief.jpg|5th-century liturgical Coptic relief featuring the Coptic crux ansata

|File:Painting of a Cross, Kellia.jpg|Wall painting of a jewelled cross (Kellia, Egypt, late 6th century)

|File:Philae Temple of Isis coptic cross 1.JPG|Coptic cross from the Ancient Egyptian Temple of Philae

|File:Brooklyn Museum 2000.123.1 Processional Cross.jpg|Ethiopian Orthodox Processional cross from the Amhara Region (mid-20th century)

|File:0019 Coptic Christian hand held blessing cross, Cairo 2010.JPG|Coptic priest holding a hand-held blessing cross (Cairo, 2010)

}}

• Alexandrian rite

{{Reflist|2}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070517152022/http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefscross.htm About.com entry on crosses]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/19991001181424/http://www.hp.uab.edu/image_archive/um/stele01.jpg Funerary stele featuring a Coptic cross]

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