The short answer: a Celtic cross is a Christian cross with a ring around the point where the arms meet. It is above all a symbol of Christian faith, and since the 19th century it has also become an emblem of Irish and Celtic identity. The ring is often read as a symbol of eternity or of the heavens.
What makes a cross “Celtic”?
The defining feature is the ring, or nimbus, that circles the centre of the cross. The rest of the shape is a Latin cross, with a longer lower arm. Many Celtic crosses are covered with knotwork, spirals and carved scenes.
The high crosses of Ireland
The Celtic cross takes its shape from the great free-standing stone crosses that began to appear in Ireland and Britain in the 9th century. Among the earliest are the crosses at Ahenny in Ireland and on the island of Iona in Scotland. Some of the most famous stand at Monasterboice, Kells, Glendalough and Clonmacnoise, home of the Cross of the Scriptures. The first great wave of cross-building in Ireland ended around 1200. Many British examples were destroyed during the Reformation, which is one reason the form is so closely linked to Ireland.
The legend of Saint Patrick
Irish legend credits Saint Patrick, or sometimes Saint Declan, with bringing the cross to Ireland. One version says Patrick joined the Christian cross with a circle, a sun symbol already familiar to the Irish, to make the new faith easier to accept. It is a good story, but no crosses survive from Patrick’s time to confirm it.
What does the ring mean?
No early text explains the ring, so its meaning is a matter of interpretation. Common readings include:
- Eternity: a circle has no end, like God’s love in Christian belief.
- The heavens: early Christian writers described the universe as a sphere, and the ring may echo that idea.
- A halo: some see it as the halo of Christ.
The Celtic Revival
Interest in the high crosses returned in the mid-19th century. In 1853, casts of historic crosses were shown at the Dublin Industrial Exhibition, and new crosses in the old style soon appeared as memorials in Irish cemeteries. The name “Celtic cross” itself dates from this period. Since then the cross has been worn and displayed far beyond Ireland as a sign of Irish and Celtic heritage.
Wearing a Celtic cross today
A Celtic cross necklace can be a sign of faith, a link to Irish roots, or both. Larger crosses on a longer chain are a popular choice for men; smaller pendants sit close to the collarbone. Browse our Celtic cross necklaces, or read about another Irish symbol, the trinity knot.
Celtic cross meaning: FAQs
Can anyone wear a Celtic cross?
Yes. It is worn as a sign of Christian faith, of Irish or Celtic heritage, or simply for its design.
What is the difference between a Celtic cross and a regular cross?
The ring around the centre. A regular Latin cross has no ring.
Is the Celtic cross Irish or Scottish?
Both, and more. Early ringed crosses stand in Ireland and Scotland, and also in Cornwall and northern England, but many British examples were lost during the Reformation, which is why the form is so closely linked to Ireland today.