The Worship of the Church Part 4

[Ill.u.s.tration: St. Andrew's cross]

There is a cross peculiar in form, and known as the "Canterbury cross."

It is in the shape of the letter Y, and is usually seen only upon the vestments of the clergy. The ornamentation of the chasuble is commonly of this form. It is embroidered on the chasuble of St. Thomas of Canterbury, which is still preserved in the Cathedral {63} of Sens, in France. Its shape brings to mind the inclination of our Saviour's arms--the lifting up of His hands--as He offered Himself in sacrifice on Calvary.

_Symbols of the Holy Trinity._--The equilateral _Triangle_ is perhaps the most familiar emblem of the Holy Trinity. The equality of the three divine Persons in the G.o.dhead is represented by the equal sides or the equal angles of the triangle.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Triangle]

The _Trefoil_ is also an emblem of the Trinity. It is a representation of the common clover, or shamrock, as the Irish call it. The legend of the conversion of Ireland says that St. Patrick was preaching on the hillside, and wishing to ill.u.s.trate from nature the sublime doctrine of the Trinity to his pagan hearers, he bent down and plucked a piece of shamrock at his feet, and held it up to show how what was three, in one sense, might be one in another.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Trefoil]

The unity of the Persons in the one G.o.dhead is sometimes represented by intersected triangles, or by the trefoil placed under a triangle.

The truth of the Trinity is also suggested by any {64} threefold arrangement in the various forms of the ornamentation.

The figure known as the _triquetra_, made by the interlacing of three portions of circles, is also symbolical of the Holy Trinity. This is a very ancient emblem, and is found with frequency upon the stone crosses erected in the early days of Christianity in Great Britain. It is sometimes used in ornamentation of the dress of our Lord or of the Evangelists.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Intersected triangles. Trefoil placed under a triangle.

Trequetra.]

From the thirteenth century we have the symbol of the equal and interlacing _Circles_. "The three equal circles symbolize the equality of the three Persons in the Trinity, the binding together in one figure the essential unity, while the circular form signifies a never-beginning, never-ending eternity." The word _trinitas_, used in this symbol, may itself {65} be divided into three syllables. One of these syllables is placed in each circle; but they have no perfect meaning, and will not form any word, unless united. In the s.p.a.ce left vacant by the intersection of the circles the word _unitas_ is placed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Interlacing circles]

From the sixteenth century we have another device setting forth the doctrine of the Trinity. This is a triangle terminating at the corners in three circles, and in the center another circle with lines connecting it with the circles at the corners. A legend is combined with the figure, which serves to explain it. The English equivalent of the Latin words is as follows: _Deus_, G.o.d; _Pater_, the Father; {66} _Filius_, the Son; _Sanctus Spiritus_, the Holy Ghost; _est_, is; _non est_, is not.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Triangle and circles]

_Symbols of the father Almighty._--For the first four centuries the only symbol employed to represent G.o.d the Father Almighty was a _hand_ issuing from clouds, or reaching down in benediction from heaven.

A symbol of much later origin is a triangle with the word "Jehovah," in Hebrew letters, inscribed within it and placed in the center of a radiating circle, or halo, symbolic of eternity.

_Symbols of our Lord._--While the cross was in {67} constant use by the early Christians, no effort was made at direct representation of our Saviour's sufferings. The crucifix was not introduced until five centuries had pa.s.sed. Resort was had instead to the use of symbols.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The hand of G.o.d]

[Ill.u.s.tration: The name and the triangle]

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Several of these were derived from Holy Scripture. The most common was the figure of the _Good Shepherd_, a picture drawn from our Lord's own description of His loving care and self-sacrifice. Another was derived from the words of St. John the Baptist, "Behold, the Lamb of G.o.d!" By this symbol, known as the _Agnus Dei_, our Lord is represented by the figure of a lamb--often with a nimbus, or glory, about the head--bearing a cross, the symbol of His sacrifice, or a banner, the sign of His triumph.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Agnus Dei, the Lamb of G.o.d]

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The _Alpha and Omega_, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, are used as the emblem of the eternity of our Lord: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Alpha and Omega]

The _Star_ is a symbol of Christ. It owes its origin to His own words, "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." It was by the leading of a star that G.o.d manifested His only begotten Son to the Gentiles. The five-pointed star commonly represents the star of Bethlehem. It is a Christmas and Epiphany emblem.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Star of Bethlehem]

This star is sometimes called the "pentalpha," as the crossing of its lines suggests five A's. It was used in ancient times as a magic talisman against the powers of witchcraft. The Greek Christians at one time placed it, instead of the cross, at the beginning of inscriptions.

The six-pointed star is said to symbolize the Creator, as, according to the old alchemists, the double triangle of which it is composed represents the elements of fire and water.

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The seven-pointed star has reference, it is said, to St. John's words in the Revelation: "I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of G.o.d sent forth into all the earth."

A star of nine points has allusion to St. Paul's enumeration of the fruits of the Holy Spirit: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."

An interesting symbol of our Saviour is that of the _Pelican_, which, the old naturalists said, was accustomed to tear open its breast in order to feed its young with its own blood. So the blood shed on Calvary gives life to the Church.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The pelican]

The _fish_ was also a very early symbol of our Lord. It was observed that the five letters of the Greek word for a fish were, taken separately, the initials in Greek of the words "Jesus Christ, Son of G.o.d, Saviour." In this way the fish became a symbol of our Saviour.

The pointed oval, or vesica, is the conventionalized form of the fish.

Ecclesiastical seals are commonly made in this form. It represents {71} in rude outline a fish before the fins and tail are added.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Vesica]

It is thought by some that the Gothic or pointed arch is derived from this symbol, being simply the upper half of a vesica.

Other symbols of our Lord are formed from monograms of the sacred name, Jesus, and of His official t.i.tle, Christ. These are used separately and also together. The earliest form of monogram of the sacred name, that often found on tombs of early Christians, is the symbol which is said to have appeared in a vision to the Emperor Constantine.

The story is related by Eusebius, the Bishop of Caesarea, who a.s.serts that it was communicated to him by Constantine himself, who confirmed it with an oath. The story is this: Constantine, whose mind was wavering between Christianity and paganism, was on the eve of a great battle. Knowing that Maxentius, his enemy, was seeking the aid of magic and supernatural rites, and remembering also that his father, who had been well disposed to the Christians, had always prospered, while their persecutors failed, he determined to pray to Christ. While engaged with such thoughts he saw at mid-day a luminous figure in the heavens, with the words, "By this conquer." Both he and the whole army were struck with awe at the sight. At night {72} Christ appeared to him in a dream, holding in His hand the same symbol, which He admonished him to place upon his standard, and a.s.suring him of victory.

This symbol Constantine subst.i.tuted the next day for the old Roman eagle upon the standards and shields of his legions.

What the emperor saw, or fancied he saw, for it cannot be doubted that Constantine believed what he stated, was a symbol already in use among the Christians, and whose meaning he doubtless already knew. It is formed of the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, _CHRISTOS_ (_Christos_); the X (Chi) being equivalent to our Ch, and the P (Rho) the same as our R.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Christos monogram]

Sometimes the monogram is contracted and its lines economized, the X becoming a true cross, and its vertical shaft--the curved part of the letter being added--becoming P.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Contracted Christos monogram]

This monogram, with the Latin N, standing for the word _noster_ (our), added to it, means _Christos noster_ (our Christ).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Christos noster monogram]

Another monogram for our Lord's t.i.tle, Christ, is composed of the first two and the last capital {73} letters of the Greek word _CHRISTOS_.

The horizontal mark over the top is the sign that some letters have been omitted.