Papal Cross

Triple cross redirects here. See Triple Cross (1966 film).

Pope Benedict XVI holding the ferula of Pius XI.

The papal cross or ferula is the pastoral staff used by the Pope. This is in contrast to other bishops, who use a crozier.

The pastoral staff carried by the popes since Pope Paul VI is a contemporary single-barred cross, designed by the Italian artist Lello Scorzelli^[1] and carried in the same manner as a crozier. However, the cross bar is bent much like the paterissa carried by an Eastern Christian bishop. On 16 March 2008, at the Palm Sunday celebrations in Saint Peter's Square, Pope Benedict XVI used the Papal Cross that had been previously used by Popes Pius XI and Pius XII. This cross was used until 28 November 2009. The replacement cross was a gift of the Circolo San Pietro (an organization founded in the 19th century to support the papacy) and, according to Msgr. Guido Marini, the Papal Master of Ceremonies, it "can be considered to all intents and purposes the pastoral staff of Benedict XVI."

Crosses associated with particular popes

Papal Cross, Phoenix Park, Dublin

Various physical crosses have been called papal crosses because of their association with a pope. An example is the large white cross situated in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland, generally spoken of as "the Papal Cross". It was erected for the visit of Pope John Paul II in September 1979. This cross was the site of a Mass celebrated during that visit, with a congregation of over a million people.

When he died on 2 April 2005, people gathered in tribute to Pope John Paul II at this Papal Cross, leaving flowers and other tokens of remembrance of him.

Symbol

The papal cross is also the official emblem of the papal office and may be used only by the Pope. It is the same as a standard cross shape but with three horizontal arms, which decrease in length the higher up the cross they are. The three bars represent the Holy trinity of Father, Son and Holy spirit.^[2]

See also

• Cross
• High cross
• Christian symbolism
• Crosier
• Petrine Cross

References

Further reading

• Bühren, Ralf van: Kunst und Kirche im 20. Jahrhundert. Die Rezeption des Zweiten Vatikanischen Konzils (Konziliengeschichte, Reihe B: Untersuchungen). Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh 2008 (ISBN 978-3-506-76388-4)

External links

• John Paul II carrying the traditional Papal Cross with three horizontal bars near the top

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