Webster's 1913 dictionary defines the patriarchial cross as "a cross, the shaft of which is intersected by two transverse beams, the upper one being the smaller."

The patriarchal cross resembles a Latin cross with a smaller crossbar placed above the main one, so that both crossbars are near the top. Sometimes the patriarchal cross has a short, slanted crosspiece near its foot. It often appears in Byzantine, Greek and Russian iconography, and in Eastern Orthodox churches.

Imagery

The top beam represents the plaque bearing the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." A popular view is that the slanted bottom beam is a foot rest, however there is no evidence of foot rests ever being used during crucifixion and it has a deeper meaning. The bottom beam actually represents a balance of justice. One of the thieves being crucified near Jesus has accepted him and will therefore be lifted into heaven, while another thief has rejected and mocked Jesus

Other variations

The Eastern Orthodox cross (also known as Crux Orthodoxa, the Byzantine cross and the Russian cross) can be considered a modified version of the Patriarchal cross. This cross always has a slanted crossbar near the bottom (with the left side usually being higher, or having negative slope) and the top bar is noticably smaller and thinner. The latin word "crux" is derived from "cruciare", meaning to torture.

The Cross of Lorraine differs from the patriarchal cross because it has two horizontal bars of equal length placed with the lower bar located close to the bottom and the upper bar close to the top. On the Patriarchal cross on the other hand, one bar is noticably smaller and placed above the main bar.

See also

• cross of Lorraine
• Coat of Arms of Slovakia (describes the meaning of the cross and how the patriarchal cross probably became the cross of Lorraine) Patriarkalkors

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