Latin cross

A Latin cross or crux immissa is a type of cross in which the vertical beam sticks above the crossbeam,[1] with the three upper arms either equally long or with the vertical topmost arm shorter than the two horizontal arms, and always with a much longer bottom arm.[2]

A crux immissa or Latin cross

Latin cross floor plan. Shaded area is the transept

If displayed upside down it is called St. Peter's Cross, because he was reputedly executed on this type of cross.[3] When displayed sideways it is called St. Philip's cross for the same reason.[3]

Use in the USA

In the USA, the Latin cross began as a Roman Catholic emblem, being vehemently contested as Satanic by various Protestant denominations in the 19th century, but has since become a universal symbol of Christianity and is now the main representation of the cross for Protestants, too.[4]

Cruciform churches

A Latin cross plan is a floor plan found in many churches and cathedrals.[5] When looked at from above or in plan view it takes the shape of a Latin cross (crux immissa).[6] Such cruciform churches were very common in the West during the Romanesque period.[2] The Latin cross plans have a nave with aisles or chapels, or both, and a transept that forms the arms of the cross.[6] It also has at least one apse that traditionally faces east. Many also have a narthex at the entry.[6]

In computer systems

The glyph has a unicode code point: U+271D ✝ LATIN CROSS (HTML ✝)

References

Herbert Norris, Church Vestments: Their Origin and Development (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2002), p. 128
Curl, James Stevens (2015). cross: Latin. Oxford Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. Oxford University Press. p. 213. ISBN 978-0-19-860678-9. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
Joyce Mori, Crosses of Many Cultures (Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1998), p. 32
Smith, Ryan K. (2006). Gothic Arches, Latin Crosses: Anti-Catholicism and American Church Designs in the Nineteenth Century. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. pp. 54, 57. ISBN 978-0-8078-5689-5. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
St. Peter's in the Vatican, ed. William Tronzo (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005), p. 275
Lilian H. Zirpolo, Historical Dictionary of Baroque Art and Architecture (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2010), p. 314

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[1] Herbert Norris, Church Vestments: Their Origin and Development (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2002), p. 128

[Curl-2] Curl, James Stevens (2015). cross: Latin. Oxford Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. Oxford University Press. p. 213. ISBN 978-0-19-860678-9. Retrieved 5 May 2020.

[Mori32-3] Joyce Mori, Crosses of Many Cultures (Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1998), p. 32

[USA-4] Smith, Ryan K. (2006). Gothic Arches, Latin Crosses: Anti-Catholicism and American Church Designs in the Nineteenth Century. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. pp. 54, 57. ISBN 978-0-8078-5689-5. Retrieved 5 May 2020.

[5] St. Peter's in the Vatican, ed. William Tronzo (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005), p. 275

[Zirpolo314-6] Lilian H. Zirpolo, Historical Dictionary of Baroque Art and Architecture (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2010), p. 314

Christian cross variants
In modern use	Anchored/Saint Clement's Cross Anuradhapura cross Cross of the Archangels Archiepiscopal cross Armenian Cross Arrow/Barby Cross Bolnisi cross Cross bottony Branch cross Bulgarian cross Byzantine cross Calvary cross Canterbury cross Catherine wheel Caucasian Albanian Cross Celtic cross Cercelée Cross of Saint Chad Coptic cross Cross crosslet Cross crosslet fitchy Crucifix Cruciform halo Double cross Eastern Syriac cross Cross of the Evangelists Cross fitchy Cross fleury Cross fleury fitchy Saint Florian Cross Forked cross Cross fourchy Fylfot Saint George's Cross Globus cruciger Gnostic cross Grapevine/Saint Nino's Cross Greek cross Greek Orthodox cross Huguenot cross Saint James/Santiago Cross Cross of Jeremiah Jerusalem/Crusaders' cross Jerusalem cross (variant) Kingdom of Jerusalem cross Cross of Saint John Latin (Roman) cross Macedonian Cross Maltese cross Marian Cross Maronite cross Cross moline Nordic Cross Cross of Novgorod Occitan cross Papal cross Cross patonce Saint Patrick's Saltire Cross pattée Cross pattée fitchée Patriarchal cross Cross of Saint Peter Cross of Saint Philip Pommy cross Portate cross/Cross of Saint Gilbert Cross potent Cross quadrate Ringed cross Russian cross Russian Orthodox cross Cross of Salem Saltire/Saint Andrew's Cross Serbian cross Serbian Orthodox cross Saint Thomas Cross Tau Cross/Saint Anthony's Cross Western Syriac cross
Historical	Avellane cross Aviz cross Brigid's cross Carolingian cross Consecration crosses Coptic cross Cross and Crown Cuthbert's pectoral cross Early Coptic cross Engrailed cross Cross erminée Gammadion Crux gemmata Saint Julian's cross Katanga Cross Lazarus' cross Lorraine cross Cross of Neith Nestorian cross Cross of Peñalba Pierced cross Pierced cross quarterly Knights Templar cross Teutonic Order cross Two-barred cross Victory Cross Voided cross
By function	Altar cross Blessing cross Conciliation cross Crosses in heraldry Nordic Pisan High cross Market cross Mercat cross Memorial cross Mission cross Monumental cross Necklace Pectoral cross Plague cross Processional cross Rood/Triumphal cross Summit cross Wayside cross
Christograms, Chrismons	Chi Rho Christogram IX monogram Labarum Signum manus Staurogram/Monogrammatic cross/Tau Rho
See also	Ankh Armenian eternity sign Balkenkreuz Ichthys Irminsul Kolovrat Mjölnir Rose Cross Rota Solomon's knot Sauwastika Scientology cross Shamrock Shield of the Trinity Sunwheel swastika Sun cross Swastika Triskelion/Triskele Descriptions in antiquity of the execution cross
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