About the Jerusalem Cross
This version of the Jerusalem Cross hangs behind the altar in the sanctuary. It was designed by Helen Vaughn and Charles Vaughn (not related to each other), is made of iron, and was allowed by the artists to sit out in the rain for a time to acquire the rusty patina it possesses.
The Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles chose as its “logo” an adaptation of the Jerusalem Cross, a heraldic cross in use for many centuries. Its history is uncertain; according to sources, it may have originated in Phoenicia. What is known is that it was used as a heraldic device — a component in a coat of arms — worn by the first leader of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, the crusader Godfrey of Bouillon.
Various interpretations are offered for the symbolism of the Jerusalem Cross. To some (including the Rev. Margaret Taylor, who made the choice of logo), it represents the five wounds of Christ in his Passion (hands, feet, and the spear in his side). Others suggest that the four Tau crosses (the four arms of the central cross, shaped like a T) are the teachings of the Old Testament, and the small Greek crosses are the four Gospels. A corollary to this one suggests that the central cross represents the centrality of Jesus’ teachings to the Church. Another alternative suggests that the Jerusalem Cross symbolizes the spreading of the Gospel to the four corners of the world.
At Holy Apostles, we use a form with larger-sized Greek crosses, while other forms may show these in a smaller relationship to the central cross. In our Web banner and on other matter using this “letterhead,” a starburst of glory emanates from the center, both as a reflection of light off the cross as an object of design, and as a symbol of the glory of Christ and his Church. You will also see the Jerusalem Cross on the sides of the church altar, on the fronts of our lectern and visitor’s desk, on our beautiful kneeler cushions about the altar rail, and in hangings and artwork about the church or carried on visit.