https://doi.org/10.31261/SSHT.2023.56.2.04
This article shows the symbolism of the Cross from the perspective of the liturgy. First, we will refer to the cross as a symbol, presenting its types and the history of its use in the Liturgy. In order to properly understand the meaning of the presence of the cross in the liturgy, it seems strongly justified to first present the sign of the cross itself, its role in the Church of the first Christians and its origin, as well as the multitude of images and symbols that have been created on the basis of the cross in the course of history. Historically, the Cross began to be used in the liturgy as a procession at the end of the 5th century, while its placement on the altar dates back to the 11th century. The first mention of a cross placed directly on the altar table can be dated to the mid-5th century, but this concerns the East Syrian Church and there is no evidence of a similar custom in the Roman Church at that time. this custom will appear in the West later. The cross with the image of the martyred Christ, recalling the Passion of the Lord in the space of the presbytery, both on the altar and near it, is a clear and necessary sign for every believer.
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Vol. 56 No. 2 (2023)
Published: 2024-10-29
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
English
Język Polski