Cross PommellÉe (from pomme, an apple).

Some examples of both the Latin and the Greek cross are elaborately and beautifully ornamented. It is a remark quoted on good authority, in the Magazine already referred to, that during the Middle Ages, in the Western Church a plain cross was considered as a cross of shame, and an ornamental one as a cross of glory. The simple Latin cross and St. Andrew's are most suitable for introduction into capital letters. The Greek is more generally placed at the conclusion of a text, sometimes also as an intermediate stop, or rather as a renewed dedication.[18] Two crosses are, in general, quite sufficient for the same text; one as a part of the dedication, the other as a conclusion.

The Dove is the well-known symbol of the Holy Spirit. When thus employed, the head should be encircled with a Divine glory. With the olive-branch, it is the emblem of peace. The dove has also been employed to represent simplicity and purity of heart, and in ancient times was thought an emblem of the soul.

The Dove resting on the cross is a modern but beautiful combination of emblems, probably originating in the following lines:—

The Triangle (equilateral), trefoil, three circles, or triple triangle, are the emblems of the Holy Trinity.

Of the trefoil, which is in fact the shamrock, it is said that St. Patrick, when endeavouring to explain the doctrine of the Holy Trinity in Unity to the heathen in Ireland, suddenly cast his eye on the green leaves at his feet, and plucking one of them, conveyed an idea of his meaning in this simple form.

The Plain Circle, without beginning and without end, was the early symbol of eternity; united with the cross, it typifies eternal life: enclosing a triangle, Three in One.

The serpent, with its tail in its mouth, has been justly considered an emblem of eternal punishment. The serpent, or dragon, being always the emblem of all wickedness, is to me quite unaccountably a favourite subject for illumination. It has, however, an obvious meaning, represented as flying from the sacred words.

The Lamb is the obvious (and very ancient) type of our Blessed Saviour. It is represented with a nimbus, or glory, containing four rays, one of which is concealed by the head. If each ray contains a cross, it is called a cruciferous nimbus. The rays are the especial mark of a Divine glory, the circlets, or glories, surrounding heads of saints and martyrs never including them.

The Lamb bearing a banner, the token of victory, is an emblem of the resurrection.

The Pelican wounding her own breast to feed her young ones was an ancient symbol of the Great Sacrifice. One or both of these last-named emblems are frequently met with in ancient crosses or crucifixes, the lamb at the foot, and the pelican at the top of the cross.

The Good Shepherd, carrying a sheep, is also an ancient emblem.

The Sword is an emblem varying in signification according to the sharpness of its point. That with an acute point is the sword of justice; with the point obtuse, the sword of religion; with no point, the sword of mercy. The flaming sword typifies Divine vengeance.

The Fish is one of the very earliest symbols of our Divine Lord. The five letters of the Greek word for a fish (??T?S) make the initials (in Greek) of the following sentence—Jesus Christ, God's Son, the Saviour (??s??? ???st?? Te?? ???? S?t??). "In this sense," Mrs. Jameson informs us, "we find the fish as a general symbol of the Christian faith upon the sarcophagi of early Christians; on the tombs of the martyrs in the catacombs; on rings, coins, lamps, &c.; and as an ornament in early Christian architecture." It was also thought an appropriate emblem of the Christian in the waters of baptism, and in allusion to the promise, "Ye shall become fishers of men."

The Flaming Heart expresses fervent piety and love.

The Anchor is an ancient Christian emblem of firmness, hope, and patience. It is found in the catacombs and ancient Christian gems.

The Lamp, lantern, or taper, is the old emblem of piety, celestial light, or wisdom. "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth." (Isa. lxii. 1.) "Let your light so shine before men." (St. Matt. v. 16.)

The Lily is the emblem of the incarnation, and of purity, always placed in the hand of the angel Gabriel, and often in the hand of the infant Saviour and the Blessed Virgin; sometimes in that of St. Joseph. Lilies of the Valley seem to be peculiarly fitted to represent purity and meekness combined. Violets are a modern emblem of modesty.

The Fleur-de-Lys is considered the conventional form of the lily, and was in the Middle Ages adopted as the emblem of the Blessed Virgin. Some see in the Mother of our Lord a type of the Church on earth—see St. Matt. xii. 49, 50—which gives her emblem a much enlarged significance.

The Passion-flower presents in itself a crowd of emblems, suggestive of the most solemn thoughts, on which we can hardly dwell with sufficient reverence. The Passiflora cÆrulea (common blue Passion-flower) is thus described:—It was discovered in the Brazils, and its wonders were soon proclaimed to Christendom as representing the Passion of our Lord, whence its present appellation. Its leaves are said exactly to resemble the spear that pierced our Saviour's side, while the five points remind us of the five wounds which He endured; the tendrils, the cords that bound, or the whips that scourged, Him; the ten petals, the Apostles, Judas having betrayed, and Peter denied, Him; the pillar in the centre was the cross or tree; the stamens, the hammers; the styles, the nails; the inner circle about the central pillar, the crown of thorns; the radiance, the glory; the white tint, the emblem of purity; and the blue, the type of heaven. On one of the species, the Passiflora alata, red spots are seen on the cross or tree. The flower keeps open three days, and then disappears, denoting the resurrection. As a whole, the passion-flower is an emblem of faith.

The Pomegranate, bursting open, and the seeds visible, was considered (in early art) as an emblem of the future—of hope in immortality.

The Phoenix is an ancient symbol of immortality.

The Palm is the well-known symbol of victory after suffering, and of heavenly bliss. Mrs. Jameson remarks that it was the ancient classical symbol of victory and triumph, and was early assumed by the Christians as the universal symbol of martyrdom.

The Olive Branch and the palm were very early emblems of immortality.

The Crown is a Scriptural emblem of the Church. "Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God". (Isa. lxii. 3. See also Zech. ix. 16.) This symbol, placed above the initial letter of a Holy Name, gives it a beautiful and marked significance.[19] It may be appropriately blended with the cross; also with the palm and the lily.

The emblems of the four Evangelists are these:—St. Matthew, a winged man (not an angel); St. Mark, a winged lion; St. Luke, a winged ox, or calf; St. John, an eagle. These symbols are taken from the vision of Ezekiel, and from that of St. John in the Revelation.[20]

Sacred Monograms.

It is surprising how much the real meaning of the letters IHS, or IHC, has been lost sight of, emblazoned as it is on the pulpit-coverings, altar-cloths, and windows of our Churches. The interpretation has been guessed at, or supposed to signify the initial letters of the following sentences:—"Jesus Hominum Salvator"—Jesus, Saviour of men. "Inspiration (of the) Holy Spirit;" or, "Jesus Humanitatis Consolator"—Jesus, Comforter of mankind. None of these interpretations are correct.

On the tombs of the early Christians, in the Roman catacombs, these letters (??S) were sometimes found (though not so frequently as the next monogram). They are, in the Greek character, the first three letters of the sacred name of Jesus— ??S??S. The third letter, sigma, had in early Greek two forms, C and S; hence the apparent variety in what is really one and the same Monogram.

The second Monogram, now rarely seen, but formerly much employed in memorial inscriptions, is called the Cross of Constantine. It consists of the two Greek characters, ? and ?. ? stands for, or is equivalent to, our CH; ?, the Greek rho, is translated by our letter R: thus we have the equivalent of the first three letters of the sacred name of Christ—in Greek, ???S??S.

It is related, on the authority of Eusebius, that the Emperor Constantine, while engaged in prayer, suddenly saw this sign in the sky, and that it was also visible to his whole army; over the sign was an inscription signifying "Conquer by this," or, "In this sign thou shalt conquer" (In hoc signo vinces). On the same night the Emperor had a dream—a vision of the Saviour appearing to him with the same sign, commanding him thenceforth to bear it on his banner, whereby he should always be victorious. In obedience to this revelation, the Emperor immediately caused such a banner to be constructed, and afterwards wore the sacred sign upon his helmet. This banner was called a labarum, of which we find the following brief account in Fosbrooke's EncyclopÆdia of Antiquities:—

"The name, but not the thing, commences with Constantine. It is a standard, with a cross-piece, from which hung a piece of stuff. The Romans borrowed it from the Germans, Dacians, &c.; and upon coins of Augustus, and the emperors preceding Constantine, it refers to some conquered nation. It had an eagle painted or embroidered, till Constantine, who added the cross, monogram of Jesus Christ, and ? and O" (Alpha and Omega: see Rev. i. 8). "Sometimes, above the flag, was a crown, in the midst of which was the monogram mentioned. From the cross-piece hung a square stuff, upon which Constantine placed the figures of himself and his children in gold."