The cross, as we have seen, was used in private devotions by Christians during the Ist century of our era, and was cut upon the tombs in the IInd and IIIrd centuries, but it did not become a public symbol or badge of Christians until Constantine had it placed on the shields of his soldiers and removed the Roman eagle from them early in the IVth century.
The CRUCIFIX was the natural development of the cross, but this development did not take place until the cross had become a sign of triumph and glory instead of a stumbling block and a symbol of ignominy. Representations of Christ on the Cross are found on crosses, etc., already in the Vth century, but they did not appear in churches until the VIIth or VIIIth century.
Until the XIth century the body of Christ on the Cross was always clothed, and in a drawing reproduced by HULME (op. cit., p. 45) He is represented as the Great High Priest. Afterwards the clothing becomes less and less, until it becomes a species of loin cloth. In the same way until the XIVth century Christ the Babe was always depicted clothed, but after this period, as a result of the decadence of Christian art, He is represented naked, or nearly so. In Hulme’s drawing the Figure wears a crown of radiatory bars, and above this, on a title are, A and Ω. It is thought that this representation is as old as Charlemagne.
In all the other ancient examples (the Crucifix of John VII, the Crucifix of Charlemagne, given to Leo III) Christ wears a long tunic. In the picture of the Crucifixion given in the Syriac Evangeliarium in the Medicean Library the two thieves wear waistcoats (see ASSEMÂNÎ, Cat. Bibl. Medic., Florence, 1742, tavola xxiii.).
The NIMBUS, which is so often found on early scenes of the Crucifixion, is of pagan origin, and it seems to have been originally a symbol of power rather than of holiness. It possibly represented at first the rays of the sun, and it was assigned not only to God, Whose symbol was the sun, but to men of might and power like MOSES and Muhammad, and even to Satan! The nimbus came into general use in the VIth century. Early nimbi were circular. The square nimbus was introduced in the IXth century and the triangular form of it in the XIth. The nimbus with a cross within it is always assigned to the Deity.
THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.
To what extent amulets of the Cross were worn by the early Christians cannot be said, but there are many proofs that they made the Sign of the Cross over themselves when in trouble or difficulty. Of this fact the Paradise of PALLADIUS contains many examples.
When Satan, in the form of an Indian, came to attack St. Anthony the saint made over himself the Sign of the Cross, and ceased to tremble, and the Enemy saw the Sign of the Cross, and straightway was terrified. Anthony did the same thing when a demoniacal animal came to him, and as soon as he adjured the creature in the Name of Christ, it took to flight and fell down and burst asunder.
A certain monk, when about to eat some food over which oil of radishes had been poured, made the Sign of the Cross over himself to protect himself from any untoward effect which the strong, coarse oil might have upon him. And the monks of SCETE worked miracles by the Sign of the Cross.
A youth whose face had been turned behind him by Satan was brought to ABBA POEMEN, and when the saint made the Sign of the Cross over the young man all distortion of his features vanished.
The Devil hid in a pot of water, and a certain holy woman suspecting his presence there made the Sign of the Cross over the water, and Satan fell from the pot in a flash of fire.
JOHN of LYCUS made the Sign of the Cross over some oil and gave it to a blind woman to smear over her eyes; she did so three times and three days later she recovered her sight. And the Fathers of the desert said: “The devils fear and tremble not only by reason of the Crucifixion of Christ, but even at the Sign of the Cross, wheresoever it be made apparent, whether it be depicted upon a garment, or whether it be made in the air.”
The pagan sorcerers seeing the wonderful effect produced by the Sign of the Cross promptly adopted it in their own magical dealings, and with such success that some of the Christian Fathers complained that even laymen could drive away devils by uttering the Name of Christ and making the Sign of the Cross.
And what the magician did in those days the BAGANDA of the SÛDÂN do in our own, for the medicine-men of that country when about to work magic, take a strip of leather, and having stamped on it the Sign of the Cross, they sew nine kauri shells to it, and it is ready to produce “ strong magic.”
Written by E.A. Wallis Budge in "Amulets and Superstitions", Dover Publications, New York, 1978, chapter XIX. Digitized, adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa.