# Byzantine Cross

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/byzantine-cross/13459>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 6, 2000, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/byzantine-cross/13459 "2000-02-06T02:04:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Carl\_Berry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@Carl\_Berry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Berry)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/byzantine-cross/13459/1 "2000-02-06T02:04:00Z")

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Do you know why it has 3 horizonal bars,  
the bottom one on an angle?

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**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/byzantine-cross/13459/2 "2000-02-06T02:22:00Z")

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WAG: Perhaps the top one is for the titulus (the INRI sign), the middle is the crossarm, and the lower is the foot support or represents the body of Christ? Or maybe trinitarian symbolism? No idea why the lower one is tilted.

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/byzantine-cross/13459/3 "2000-02-06T04:23:00Z")

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Hmmm. I thought this thread was going to explain that we hadn’t seen **Byzantine** for a while because she was irked at something.  
For one view of the actual OP, try  
[http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/15/159.html](http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/15/159.html) .

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Tom~

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/byzantine-cross/13459/4 "2000-02-06T04:26:00Z")

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Oh, the Greek Orthodox Cross mentioned in the previous link is here  
[http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/03/036.html](http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/03/036.html) .

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Tom~

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**Author:** ![randomlyblanks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@randomlyblanks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomlyblanks)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/byzantine-cross/13459/5 "2000-02-06T04:34:00Z")

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the bar at the bottom on the angle represents the other two men being crucified. one believed in Jesus and he rose to heaven and the other didn’t and fell down to hell. that’s what that bar means