Perhaps one of the most iconic symbols of Celtic heritage, this sturdy Celtic Cross Pendant is for those of the Christian and Celtic faiths alike.
Design Details
Available in bronze and sterling silver, it is 1 ¾” tall by 1 ¼” (45 x 32 mm) wide and comes with an 18” gold or silver-tone steel chain.
Historical Inspiration
The depiction of the Celtic cross symbol is abundant in Ireland in the form of stone monuments, and in the illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells. The origin story of the very first Celtic cross is lost to the sands of time, but legends of it's origin abound. It is often credited to St Patrick who was tasked with melding the Christian belief system with that of the indigenous pagans who inhabited the British Isles. One legend states that St Patrick added the Christian cross symbol to the Celtic spiral symbol which represented the sun god. A second legend has it that while preaching to some soon-to-be converted heathens, St. Patrick was shown a sacred standing stone that was marked with a circle that was symbolic of the moon goddess. It is said that by making the mark of a Latin cross through the circle, he blessed the stone and created the first Celtic cross. By blessing the stone, St. Patrick implied that he was willing to make ideas and practices that were formerly Druidic into Christian ideas and practices. This is consistent with the belief that he converted and ordained many Druids into Christian priests. And the last theory is that the circle and cross symbol had more practical origins - the circle added stability to the long heavy stone arms of the cross, alleviating the potential for breakage.
