Tattoo an inverted cross on the human body is most often perceived by people as a sign that a Satanist is in front of them. Nevertheless, such an image, although rare, but occurs even in Christian iconography. Which is not surprising, since over the two thousand years of Christianity its main symbol has acquired many sizes, shapes and applications. The Celtic Christians, for example, wore their body cross as a tattoo so as not to lose it, the T-shaped symbol was common in Egypt, and in the Black Sea countries the oblique four-pointed Andrew's Cross. In Christian culture, a Latin cross whose horizontal rung is below the middle of the vertical rung is called the cross of St. Peter.
What is an inverted cross, what is it called?
The inverted cross is called the cross of St. Peter because, according to Christian sources, the Apostle Peter, the main patron saint of the Catholic Church, was crucified head down. It is said that Peter himself chose this form of execution because he considered it unworthy for himself to die on the cross in the same way as the Master, Christ. It happened during the reign of Nero in 67 AD. That is to say, the crossbar designed to gird the hands of the victim is at the bottom of this execution structure in the inverted cross.
The cross of St. Peter is of yellow and white metal.
IMPORTANT: Other names for the inverted cross are the cross with the rung down, the inverted cross, the satanic cross, the cross of the Antichrist, the reverse crucifixion.
What does the inverted cross mean as a symbol?
If the cross itself has many symbolic meanings, formed in pre-Christian times, as well as established later in connection with the spread of Christianity, the inverted cross in recent times has more and more meaning as a symbol of the Antichrist, Satan, black magic. Such symbolism is supported by various mass media, Hollywood movies, and rock and punk cultures.
IMPORTANT: The Catholic Church itself does not explicitly state that the inverted cross is a symbol of Satan.
The inverted cross is considered one of the symbols of Satanism.
Satanic practices.
The common Latin cross for Satanists has the following meaning: the upper part is God the Father, the sides are God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The lower part symbolizes Satan, over whom all three hypostases of God have authority. What is the meaning of the inverted cross? Its meaning changes dramatically - Satan becomes higher than God, and therefore can rule over him.
Black magicians say it is not customary in their practices to create new symbols. Their magic is designed for transformation, not creation. Therefore, the magician cannot use the same symbols that are accepted in white magic. He must transform these symbols so as to fundamentally change the universe.
For such purposes, the cross "upside down" is ideal, signifying a world inside out, where heaven and earth, hell and paradise have swapped places.
For this reason, the cross of Peter is often found in the jewelry and clothing of people who call themselves Satanists and Goths. These subcultures oppose public opinion, and thus the basic tenets of mainstream religion along with its symbols.
What does the inverted cross mean to Satanists?
Satanists have adopted this symbol.
- For them, the inverted cross is a symbol of contempt, disrespect for the tenets of the Catholic Church and praise of the Antichrist.
- The symbolism of the upper part of the normal, non-inverted cross, with its shorter part pointing upward and to the sides, denotes, among other things, the Trinity, the unity of God, and the extension of his power to the surrounding world and to heaven. Satan, or the fallen angel, on the other hand, is removed from God by the longer side of the cross pointing down into the underworld. Satanists use the inverted cross to magnify the object of their veneration, pointing the symbol upward and leaving the trinity of God below.
The inverted cross: meanings
Negative Meanings:
- Anti-Christian Orthodox phenomena. Negatively perceived among the Orthodox population.
- Satanism, unclean force, demonic activity. The meaning is relevant to all lovers of black magic and everything associated with it.
- The complete denial of God, the denial of the entire Christian community, a protest against religion. Relevant to atheists, openly, sometimes with aggression, declaring their rejection of Christianity.
In a positive sense:
- Not the only but recognized symbol of the Catholic Church. The symbol can be seen on the throne of the Pope. Catholics themselves claim that the symbol carries no evil.
- The symbol of the hammer of the god Thor in Scandinavian mythology;
- Attribute of the god Apollo.
- Attribute of knights, who perceive the inverted cross as a sword.
- A "feminine" symbol. No clear definition, except that it is a cross for girls.
As you can see from the list, not everything is so unambiguous. It is noteworthy that the original meaning of the symbol has always been either positive or martial and motivational, but in no way devilish or anti-Christian, because Christianity itself was not yet in existence. Scandinavian history goes back about five centuries before the birth of Christ.
This means that no one deliberately turned the cross upside down to summon the forces of darkness or to achieve similar goals. But there is another interesting fact! The fact is that neither Jesus nor his direct followers honored the symbol or mentioned it. They had no need for symbolism at all. This, of course, does not mean that the wearing of the cross is meaningless. If you believe in its power, it will work, that's what religion is based on, after all - faith.
What does an inverted cross on the face, forehead, or hand mean?
But in tattoos, the symbolic meaning of the inverted cross is not necessarily associated with Satan or Satanism, because in youth tattoo culture it can be quite different. For example:
- An inverted cross on a tattoo can have the same meaning as the symbol of a knight's sword and be associated with the tradition of chivalry.
- Meaning of the Cross of Lorraine. According to legend, Joan of Arc, who came from the Lorraine lands, had such a cross.
- The image in the form of an inverted cross on the tattoo can be a symbol of femininity, femininity, given the schematic nature of the female figure in contrast to the male figure, which as schematically can be depicted as a regular cross.
- Also in youth subcultures, the inverted cross can be associated with the Apostle Peter.
Tattoo with an inverted cross.
Everyone who decides to get a tattoo on his body in the form of an inverted cross and its various modifications, himself invests his own specific symbolic meaning. It is safe to say that in tattoos the inverted cross and interpretations of its symbolic meanings can be numerous and varied.
Occult symbols and signs
Kabbalistic Tetragram.
The Kabbalistic Tetragram symbol is two equilateral triangles superimposed on top of each other.
Is the great seal of Freemasonry, revealing the meaning of the number 666.
The symbol of the Heartagram is a regular triangle. Its apex is directed upwards and is the beginning of the second triangle. The bottom of the triangle represents the two roundnesses of the heart, and the bottom corner represents its completion.
Represents a mixture of love and hate, life and death.
Church of Satan
The sign of the Church of Satan is depicted as a six-pointed cross, at the foot of which is an inverted figure of eight, a symbol of infinity.
This sign is almost always an implication of Satanism.
The symbol of the Cross of Disorder is depicted as a four-pointed cross, the vertical line of which ends in a circle open by a quarter.
This sign was first used by the Romans who wished to challenge the truth of the Christian faith.
The familiar symbol of the swastika dates back to ancient times, when it symbolized the god of fire. The priests of this deity greeted the sunrise by raising the right hand, thereby expressing respect and esteem.
The symbol was considered a sign of virtue in China.
The pentagram as a five-pointed star is one of the strongest images in magic and is used by witches for various rituals.
It is also used by the Kabbalists, who have this sign to indicate the power.
The sign of the Lightning
The Lightning sign is depicted as well as the letter "S", which it resembles, is considered a designation of Satan.
Sometimes this symbol is depicted on a five-pointed star.
This four-pointed cross in the inverted position denotes hatred of Christ.
The magic number 23 is considered occult and denotes a secret society of portholes. 666 or FFF.
The connection between these numbers and letters is that this letter of the English alphabet goes under the sixth number. It is considered to denote the number of the Antichrist.
This oldest Chinese symbol is considered the definition of unity, polarity.
Tao in Chinese philosophy means the eternal action or principle of creation.
Symbol of the Cross Neuron is also called a symbol of peace. Is an inverted and broken cross of Christ, concluded in a circle.
Denotes contempt for Christianity.
This symbol symbolizes the denial of all laws. It is depicted as the letter "A" enclosed in a circle.
It is also a symbol of sacrifice and an observer.
Magical symbol Ankh is a four-pointed cross, the top of which is represented as an elongated oval.
Ankh symbolizes fertility, lust, the union of man and woman.
It is depicted as a circle with a dot in the center.
A circle with a dot in the center is used in Buddhism and Hinduism, representing the male force.
The index finger and pinky finger raised up and separated from the rest of the fingers are considered a victory of the devil over the good.
As you can see, occult symbols are represented by a variety and variety of signs. Each of them has its own meaning and definition. If you choose a symbol, you should first find out about its meaning.
Because it often happens that a person uses jewelry with occult signs, the designation of which he doesn't know. This can cause individual problems and contradictions in life.
Read the article if you are wondering what the symbol of the upside down cross means. You will also learn what to do if it is drawn on your door.
Before you buy a thing or accessory with any symbol or make a tattoo of it, you should know its meaning. This article will discuss the inverted cross. Is it only a symbol of Satanism?
An inverted cross - smile: what does it mean?
In recent years, users of all sorts of advanced devices - tablets, iPhones, iPads, etc., when communicating trying to diversify their messages by adding different icons, emoticons. Manufacturers have taken care of this and offered numerous emoticons in the form of smiley faces, symbols, figurines, and so on. Among these you can find and inverted smiley. And if the interpretation of, for example, a smiley with a smile, with a tear, or with a heart is quite clear and obvious, then what, in this case, can an upside-down smiley mean?
Upside-down smiley.
Let's just say that today there is no definite explanation of the upside-down smiley. Many people use it to indicate stupidity, thoughtless and mindless behavior.
The essence of Satanism
First we need to understand who Satanists are and what they do. The very name "Satanists" says that these people deny the Christian interpretation of the role of God, preferring his eternal opponent - Satan (Lucifer, the devil). But Satanism should not be confused with devil-worship, which are different phenomena. Devil-worshippers pray to the devil, offer sacrifices to him, putting him virtually in the place of God. Satanists, on the other hand, worship their idol differently, interpreting his image as a symbol of freedom and power. However, there are many different manifestations of Satanism with different interpretations.
As a form of religion, Satanism has been around for a very long time. For the first time references to something like this took place in the early Middle Ages, when Satanists began to show signs of their existence. In fact, Satanism came to be called not only the cult of Satan himself, but also other phenomena:
- the glorification of all dark forces;
- interaction with evil spirits;
- black magic sessions;
- photos of dark masses and rituals posted online by Satanists.
With such an approach, any healer and black magician who practices appeals to dark forces can be called a Satanist.
Is it possible to draw, embroider, wear an inverted cross: a t-shirt, a pendant, a tattoo?
The image of an inverted cross in any form, whether embroidered or as a print on clothing, as a tattoo or pendant around the neck. Often, young people who flaunt their belonging to a particular subculture, throwing a certain challenge to traditional society, you can see the image of an inverted cross in the form of:
- embroidery
- clothing print
- tattoo
- pendant, etc.
So the man as if declares that he is not afraid of either the devil or the devil.
Pendant inverted cross.
It is unlikely that an adult, even a follower of Satanism, would wear this kind of symbolism on the street. Although I must say there are brave men who do not depend on public opinion and are not afraid of God's punishment. They walk boldly with the symbols of the upside down cross, remaining original and independent. After all, it is just an image, not a symbol of faith. Also note that if fashion designers choose an inverted cross for their products, this symbol may well become a leading and popular trend among fashion followers. This was the case recently when an image of a skull and crossbones turned out to be in trend. Pretty enough, and hardly anyone who bought products with such images thought about the symbolism of death in them.
Print with an inverted cross on clothing.
Use in Christianity
The official Catholic Church recognizes the inverted cross as one of its symbols. Proof of this is its image on the throne of the Pope. At the same time in society this fact causes mixed judgments.
Let's try to understand what the inverted cross means for a Christian. Man's main task on earth is to live his life in agony in order to find eternal bliss and peace. The common Latin cross symbolizes the victory of life over death, good over evil, and bliss over torment. Peter's cross, in turn, denotes the impossibility of a mere man to repeat the feat of Christ. Therefore he cannot be crucified on the cross. So all that remains for him is the humble expectation of eternal life, which is what the upside down cross symbolizes.
Strangely enough, most Christians have forgotten this meaning and consider the cross of Peter to be a satanic sign, equal to the pentagram in its power. Although a few centuries ago, it was the symbol of the crusaders of the Order of the Knights Templar, who fought for the true faith against the infidel pagans.
Spoilage - there is an inverted red cross painted on the door: what to do?
If someone discovers an inverted cross drawn on his door, and even with red paint, do not be alarmed and consider that a spoilage is induced. It is quite possible that someone played pranks or just wanted to scare the owners. What is recommended to do in such a case? Look carefully at the paint used to make the picture.
If it is the usual acrylic or oil paint, simply wash it off the door, while reciting the Lord's Prayer. After the paint is washed off, sprinkle the door with holy water.
If it's a paint mixed with wax, or animal blood, it's still best to do some ritual to keep yourself safe. How?
- Go to a church and buy candles there.
- Try not to take change from buying candles.
- On your way out of the church, give alms.
- Bless the door with burning church candles.
- Proceed to wash away the image on the door.
- Rinse the door with holy water, reciting the Lord's Prayer.
- Go into the house and take a shower. Leave your hair bare, loose.
- Walk around the apartment or house with a candle, hold a candle for a while in each corner, also reciting at the same time a prayer.
- After several days, repeat the ritual, starting with a trip to church. Do this three times.
If you find an inverted cross on your door, take measures to protect your dwelling from evil forces.
The Development of Satanism
The first legal Satanist organization was founded in 1966 by Howard Stanton Levi (Anton Shandor LaVey). He himself wrote the "Satanic Bible" and, of course, became the chief priest in the newly formed church. The Satanists of the 20th century soon had Satanism officially recognized as a religion in the United States, so the Church of Satan is still very much alive there. The economic and moral crisis of society is a fertile ground for the rise of the subculture of Satanism and others like it. Other subcultures emerge almost simultaneously:
LaVey's supporters liked the denial of Christian values and his reminder that man is still the same animal, so all living things should not be alien to him. The yellow press enthusiastically picked up and broke the news of the unprecedented growth in the number of adherents of the new religion. Satanists exist in the CIS as well, but there are no officially registered Satanic organizations.
Satanist Music
At first Satanism had only an ideological shell, but when "black metal" appeared in the 80s, it helped to finally form the Satanic subculture. In 1982 the band Venom released the album Black Metal, which marked the beginning of this trend, which has not lost its relevance in the new century.
At the end of the 20th century, so-called True Black was spread - one of the most radical tendencies in the direction of Black Metal, which respected the traditions of its genre:
- deliberately bad-sounding recording;
- raw sounding instruments;
- monotonous melodies;
- monotonous sound.
But the musical accompaniment was not the main thing here, serving only as a background for the lyrics, which were imbued with satanic, anti-Christian, occult meaning. It was True Black that became the favorite music of the young Satanists. Such "bands" as Venom, Immortal, Beherit, Burzum, Blasphemy, Darkthrone, Von, Mayhem, Profanatica became their idols.
Satanists Appearance
It is thanks to the above-mentioned bands that the world knows the look of Satanists as it is. Leather clothing with many rivets and chains, untidy long hair, various satanic symbols (pentagrams and inverted crosses covered with ketchup instead of blood), black and white face paint - so typical member of a "black metal band" looks approximately. Such an "outfit" also appealed to the young admirers of this music, who were looking for the easiest way to become a Satanist.
Young people who consider themselves Satanists like to dress up in frightening outfits, clad in pentagrams, and to the roar of True Black to denote their rejection of generally accepted values. However, these are only telltale signs of a Satanist.
The vast majority of these young people do not have the slightest idea about Satanism and have hardly read a book on the subject. Ideological Satanists treat such "Satanism" with contempt, adding the prefix "pseudo" to it.
But like other subcultures, the Satanic one attaches more importance to outward attributes, working for a certain image. It is among such ostensible "Satanists" that, unfortunately, the rituals with ritual murders, whose victims are often not only animals but also people, are most cultivated, which has nothing to do with real Satanism.
Signs of Satanists
- The main sign of Satanists is an inverted five-pointed star (pentagram) with two rays facing upward. Since the middle of the nineteenth century it became a symbol of Satan by the hand of the occultist E. Levy. It is also known that such a star is superimposed on the image of a goat (the sign of Baphomet).
- The six-pointed star of David.
- 666 - the number of the beast, according to the Bible, is a symbol of the Antichrist or the Great Beast.
Satanism in Russia
Although there are no officially registered Satanic organizations in the former USSR countries, there are a small number of Satanists in Russia. To us it began to penetrate after the collapse of the USSR, although there is information about the first groups of Satanists who appeared in the 80s.
Now there are 50,000 to 100,000 of them in the country. Beginning in 2003, the Ministry of Internal Affairs began to take an interest in this movement and to monitor the activity of Satanists. Domestic scholarly literature classifies Satanism as one of the radically aggressive religious teachings, while also categorizing it as one of those subcultures whose worldview is based on the cult of death.
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