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The Badge of a Fire Fighter is the Maltese Cross. The Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection and a badge of honor. Its story is hundreds of years old.
When a courageous band of crusaders known as The Knights of St. John fought the Saracens for possession of the holy land, they encountered a new weapon unknown to European warriors. It was a simple, but horrible device of war. It brought excruciating pain and agonizing death upon the brave fighters for the cross.
As the crusaders advanced on the walls of the city, they were struck by glass bombs containing naphtha. When they became saturated with the highly flammable liquid, the Saracens would hurl a flaming torch into their midst. Hundreds of the knights were burned alive; others risked their lives to save their brothers-in-arms from dying painful, fiery deaths.
Thus, these men became our first Fire Fighters and the first of a long list of courageous men. Their heroic efforts were recognized by fellow crusaders who awarded each hero a badge of honor - a cross similar to the one fire fighters wear today. Since the Knights of St. John lived for close to four centuries on a little island in the Mediterranean Sea named Malta, the cross came to be known as the Maltese Cross.
The Maltese Cross is our symbol of protection. It means that the Fire Fighter who wears this cross is willing to lay down his life for you just as the crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so many years ago. The Maltese Cross is a Fire Fighter's badge of honor, signifying that he works in courage - a ladder's rung away from death.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
The Maltese cross was chosen as the symbol of the fire service because of its historical association with the Knights of Malta. The Knights of Malta were known for their bravery and courage in fighting fires and providing medical assistance during the Middle Ages. Adopting the Maltese cross as their symbol was a way for the fire service to connect with this rich tradition of service and honor.
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Where did the Maltese cross come from?
The Maltese cross is known around the world as a symbol of the fire service. It is often seen painted on fire trucks, on the clothing of firefighters, depicted on firefighter's badges, and is quite often the chosen design of firefighter tattoos. So where did the Maltese cross come from, and how did it get to be known as a symbol of the fire service? The Maltese cross is named after the island of Malta, which came to be the home of the Knights of St. John. The Knights of St. John existed during the 11th and 12 centuries. The armor worn by the Knights covered their entire bodies as well as their faces. Because of this it was often difficult for the knights to recognize one another during battle. They realized they would need some type of symbol that could be used to quickly and easily identify them selves. They chose the Cross of Calvary, which would later be known as the Maltese cross. During the Crusades, the enemies of the nights commonly used fire as a weapon. It was quite common for a Knight to have to risk his own life to save another Knight or extinguish a fire. The Knights of St. John were also known for their care of the sick and injured. Combined with their abilities to fight fires, and the pride and honor they took in their work, the Maltese cross seems a fitting symbol of the modern fire service. Firefighting is a proud profession, and only a symbol of pride would exemplify the work of a firefighter.
What does the Maltese Cross stand for?
The Maltese cross originally from the Knights of St John of Jerusalem ( the Knight Hospitalers)who used the Christian cross as a badge on their shields was adopted by the St. John Ambulance Brigade of today and also the Fire Service due to their object of service. It became known as the Maltese Cross because the Knights were given premission to settle in Malta and it is now the emblem of that country in the Mediterranean sea.B:The eight points of the Maltese cross symbolise the eight beatitudes of Christ's Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5.3-10): The poor in spirit, They who mourn, They who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, the meek, the peacemakers, they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the pure in heart and the mercifu.The Maltese Cross is also interpreted as a symbol of the eight chivalric virtues:Observation, Tact, Resource, Dexterity, Sympathy, Perseverance, Discrimination, ExplicitnessAnother theory considers the eight points of the Maltese Cross a symbol for the eight langues of the Order of Malta:Provence, Auvergne, France, Aragon, Italy, Germany, England, CastiliaWhat is known as the Maltese Cross was originally the symbol of Amalfi, a small Italian republic of the 11th centuryThe cross of Saint Florian, used by firefighters is often confused with the Maltese cross; although it may have eight or more points, it also has large curved arcs between the points.C:According to the Princeton dictionary, Maltese Cross has 2 meanings:1. A cross with arrow shaped arms2. A Eurasian garden
What is the symbol for a fire station?
the symbol for a fire station is either a dalmation, a firefighters hat, the firefighters cross, or a firetruck.
What is the meaning of a Maltese cross?
The Maltese cross is identified as the symbol of the Christian warrior. The cross is eight-pointed and has the shape of four "V" shaped arms joined together at their bases, so that each arm has two points. Its design is based on crosses used since the First Crusade. The eight points symbolise the chivalric virtues; * Loyalty * Piety * Frankness * Braveness * Glory and honour * Contempt of death * Helpfulness towards the poor and the sick * Respect for the church The Maltese cross remains the symbol of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and other Orders of St John. In recent centuries it has come to be adopted as the insignia of numerous orders of chivalry, and appears on the coat-of-arms of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz district. In Australia the Maltese Cross is the state emblem of Queensland. In Great Britain the first postmark employed for the cancellation of the then new postage stamps in the 1840s was the shape of a Maltese cross and named accordingly. The Maltese cross also forms the basis for the design of the Order of the Bath. The Maltese cross is also the symbol of Neath Rugby Football Club in Neath, Wales. At King George V's funeral procession, as the funeral cortege turned into New Palace Yard, the Maltese cross (really a cross patt�e) fell from the Crown and landed in the gutter. This was viewed as a bad omen for the next King, Edward VIII, who would abdicate before the year was out. The Maltese cross flower (Lychnis chalcedonica) was named after the Maltese cross because its petals are similarly shaped, though its points are more rounded into "heart"-like shapes. The Geneva drive, a gear that translates a continuous rotation into an intermittent rotary motion, is also sometimes called a "Maltese cross mechanism" due to its similar shape. Similar crosses are used as the symbol of some Fire Services in the United States, and are often referred to as a Maltese cross, although this is not technically correct as the shape of these crosses differ. Other similar crosses (properly known as the cross patt�e) appear as the Victoria Cross and on the flag of Wallis and Futuna. It also has been used (with an elliptical orb in the center) as the official badge of the Delta Phi fraternity since 1833. The official symbol of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity is the heraldic cross pattee, though the organization's founder thought it was a Maltese cross when the organization was formed in 1865. It is considered as one of the National Symbols of Malta and used to be depicted on the two mils coin of the island prior to the removal of the currency from circulation. The eight points of the Maltese cross symbolise the eight beatitudes of Christ's Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5.3-10): The poor in spirit, They who mourn, They who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, The meek, The peacemakers, They who hunger and thirst for righteousness, The pure in heart, The merciful The Maltese Cross is also interpreted as a symbol of the eight chivalric virtues: Observation, Tact, Resource, Dexterity, Sympathy, Perseverance, Discrimination, Explicitness Another theory considers the eight points of the Maltese Cross a symbol for the eight langues of the Order of Malta: Provence, Auvergne, France, Aragon, Italy, Germany, England, Castilia
What is is the animal symbol of the fire service?
A dalmatian dog.
What does a cross tattoo on the cheek mean?
many people on fire departments have a tatoo based on the Maltese cross and/or star of life
Why do vampires fear crosses?
Because the cross is a holy symbol. It is also referred in various areas, that the cross burns vampires, much like holy water and fire.
Hestia's symbol is the hearth and fire.?
She is the symbol of hearth and fire.
What is fire service?
fire service is a fire burning bad
When did King's Cross fire happen?
King's Cross fire happened in 1987.
What is the purpose of the fire service?
what is the purpose of the fire service?
What is the safety symbol for fire safety?
A fire symbol is a stylized drawing of a flame.
