Theringed cross is a class ofChristian cross symbols featuring a ring ornimbus. The concept exists in many variants and dates to early in thehistory of Christianity. One variant, thecruciform halo, is a special type ofhalo placed behind the head ofJesus inChristian art. Other common variants include theCeltic cross, used in the stonehigh crosses ofFrance,^{[citation needed]}Ireland andBritain; some forms of theCoptic cross; and ringed crosses fromGalicia.

Thenimbus or ringed shape was appended to theChristian cross and other symbols relatively early. In these contexts it apparently derived from the earlier Romangarland of victory. TheChi Rho-in-circle motif was widespread in the Roman Empire by the late 4th century, and garlanded and ringed crosses were popular in imperialRavenna by the 5th century, influencing the later versions.^[1] Thecruciform halo or cross halo, ahalo incorporating a cross, emerged as a distinctive type of halo painted behind the head of members of theHoly Trinity, especiallyJesus, and occasionally others.^[2] In other cases, the combination of cross and nimbus symbolized the presence of Christ throughout the cosmos, with the nimbus representing thecelestial sphere. Notable early examples include the cosmological ringed cross in the 5th-centuryMausoleum of Galla Placidia, and the 6th-centuryCrux Gemmata in theBasilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe.^[3]

Old Coptic crosses often incorporate a circle, as in the form called a "Coptic cross" by Rudolf Koch in his The Book of Signs (1933). Sometimes the arms of the cross extend through the circle (dividing it into four quadrants), as in the "Celtic cross". The circle cross was also used by the early Gnostic sects.

Crosses used by theChurch of the East sometimes incorporate a circle, similar to theCeltic cross or asun cross.

TheCeltic cross is a variant of the ringed cross that emerged inFrance,Ireland andBritain in theEarly Middle Ages. It is aLatin cross featuring a nimbus surrounding the intersection of the stem and arms. The Celtic cross became widespread through the distinctive stonehigh crosses erected across the islands beginning in the early 8th century; most, but not all, of these monuments take the form of the Celtic cross. Scholars debate the origins of the type, but it is related to earlier types of ringed crosses such as the "cosmological cross" used in Ravenna.^[3]

In France, Celtic crosses (far less in number and age than in the British Isles) are called thecroix celtique orcroix nimbée ("cross with nimbus"). They are found mainly in the western part of France: inBrittany,Normandy,Limousin as far asAuvergne in the centre. Most of them were made around the 16th century.^{[citation needed]} One can be seen on the spire ofOrléans Cathedral, in theLoire valley.

InLower Normandy, inCotentin, many churches have kept their tombstones decorated with a celtic cross.^[4][5]

St. John's Cross atIona Abbey, a monastery off the coast of Scotland with strong Irish roots and a major pilgrimage center, may be the prototype for all other high crosses.^[6] It is now kept in the abbey museum.

Most high crosses were made between the 8th and 10th centuries, with a briefer revival occurring in Ireland in the late 11th and 12th centuries.^[7]

The Celtic cross saw a resurgence in the mid-19th century, following new studies and reconstructions of the medieval high crosses. They subsequently became common objects in art, architecture, and merchandise during theCeltic Revival. They have since remained popular symbols of Ireland and"Celtic" identity.^[8]

A form of ringed cross, similar to Celtic variant and frequently associated to knots and interlaced designs, is found inGalicia in Spain, often toppinghorreos (granaries) as a protective measure against any kind of evil.^[9] They can also be found atop churches and, since the beginning of the 20th century, in cemeteries, but they are unusual incruceiros (high crosses). There is a very characteristic Galician Medieval style^[10] that combines a Celtic cross with a Celtic simple knot; it is similar to theSt Maur cross atGlanfeuil Abbey.^[11][12]

There is an example of a circled cross in the cemetery around the 13th-centurySaha Chapel in NorthEstonia.^{[citation needed]}

Although many image files exist (and are used in this article), just one circled cross – the celtic cross – has an explicitcode point inUnicode for use in transferable materials.

• U+1F548 🕈CELTIC CROSS

Symbols designed for other purposes, such asU+1F728 🜨ALCHEMICAL SYMBOL FOR VERDIGRIS,U+2295 ⊕CIRCLED PLUS andU+2A01 ⨁N-ARY CIRCLED PLUS OPERATOR, have been used as alternatives. These symbols (particularly 1F548 and 1F728) are not included in allcomputer fonts and consequently may not be displayed correctly or even at all. Furthermore, they may not be recognised byscreen reader software used by people withvisual impairment.

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