What is a Florian cross?
What is a Florian cross?
The Florian cross refers to the symbol of St. Florian – a cross with eight points, converging in the center. The edges of the Florian cross are graceful and rounded. This emblem has become highly popular and has been adopted by many firefighting departments.
What does St Florian represent?
Saint Florian is the patron saint of firefighters. Legend says that during his life Saint Florian put out a massive fire with only one bucket of water, saving a village from ruin. Saint Florian is often depicted in artwork pouring water from a bucket or small vessel.
What does the Maltese cross symbolize?
The Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the firefighter who wears this cross is willing to lay down his/her life for you, just as Crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so may years ago.
What is Florian the patron saint of?
firemen
Florian has been regarded as a patron of Poland as well as of Linz, Upper Austria and of firemen. Soon after, a person was saved from a fire by invoking St. Florian’s name. Since then, Florian has been invoked against fire and has generally been regarded in most countries as the patron saint of the fire service.
Which cross came first Maltese or St Florian?
Often confused with the Maltese cross, the Florian cross is what a majority of fire departments use. It carries the same, eight-point structure as the Maltese cross, but has rounded edges. Some historians indicate the Florian cross came into existence in the 4th century and was named after a Roman officer.
What flag is St. Florian holding?
His body was recovered and buried, and he was later venerated and declared a saint. Ever since, fire fighters and military bands worldwide have adopted the iconic cross that can be seen in many depictions of Florian. Though Florian’s cross is probably the most common, many departments have adopted the “Maltese Cross”.
What flag is Saint Florian holding?
St. Observe the various flags and how in a number of cases these are alike to the ones attributed to St George or even Christ. However, often St. Florian is shown holding not a flag but a lance or a shield, besides his bucket.
Is the Maltese Cross a Masonic symbol?
In US York Rite Freemasonry, the Knights Templar (Freemasonry) use the eight-pointed cross in the Order of the Knights of Malta. The Military Division of the Kappa Alpha Order, composed of members serving in or honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces, uses an eight-pointed cross in the colors of The Order.
Why does the Maltese Cross have 8 points?
With time, the eight points also came to represent the eight langues (or “tongues”, but in effect national groupings) of the noblemen who were admitted to the famed order, namely those of Auvergne, Provence, France, Aragon, Castille and Portugal, Italy, Baviere (Germany), and England (with Scotland and Ireland).
What is an 8 pointed cross?
The Huguenot cross, a symbol of French Protestants, is an eight-pointed cross with a dove. The United Protestant Church of France used an emblem that combined a stylized cross and a Maltese cross. In Spain, the golden eight-pointed cross is the symbol used by the military Medical Corps.
What is the significance of the St Florian cross?
The St. Florian Cross derives its symbolism because of his firefighting background and leadership. St. Florian is still popular in Austria and southern Germany (Bavaria). In those areas’ firefighters use the term “Florian” as a call sign in radio communications for fire stations and firetrucks.
Is the St Florian cross the same as the Maltese cross?
In fact, while the Maltese and St Florian crosses are different, they have a lot of similarities in meaning. It’s even believed the more modern Maltese Cross is derivative of the older St Florian cross.
What is St Florian the patron saint of?
St. Florian is most notably the patron saint of firefighters, a protector against the dangers of water (including drowning and flooding), beer brewers, chimney sweeps, and soap makers. He is also patron saint of Upper Austria, including its capital city Linz, and of Poland.
Why is the Maltese cross the symbol of the fire service?
Although some argue the Florian cross eventually evolved into the Maltese cross, its Roman ties are a testament to the importance and value of the fire service. Regardless of which cross your department uses, they’re both legitimate — and powerful — symbols of the fire service.
