Baptismal Cross
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Baptismal Cross
Baptismal Cross
The Baptismal Cross is a Greek Cross (+) superimposed, not on an X-shaped St. Andrews Cross, rather the X is the Greek letter chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ. (See also Iota-Chi Cross and Chi-Rho Cross.)
Groschen coin, introduced in 1271 by Duke Meinhard II of Tirol in Meran. The name groschen is derived from the double cross on the coin. Four of the eight cross arms extend to the edge of the coin and the other four arms are shorter. All eight arms are Pattée. (Click photo to enlarge)
This blending of two cross symbols (see also Double Cross) was used in ancient Egypt as a symbol of the Ogdoad, the primeval forces of chaos in Egyptian mythology, represented as eight deities which existed before the creation of the sun god. (See also Taranis.)
Eight symbolises regeneration for many religions. This cross is used as a symbol for Neo-Gnosticism and in Catholicism, where the eight arms represent both the age of baptism in the church (eight years), and the eight days between Christ's entry into Jerusalem and his resurrection. The numerical value of the name of Yeshua (Jesus) in Hebrew is 888, making 8 a Christian 'super-number'.
Eight is the holistic number in Buddhism for the number of steps to end suffering.
The number 8, like the lemniscate symbol for infinity 
, is a never-ending line. Tracing the shape of the 8 differs from the circle, square, triangle etc. in that the line crosses itself in the centre. This crossing symbolises death. But the line does not stop there; it carries on into a new life, just as the Christian cross symbolises new life. The eight therefore represents life, death, and rebirth. Consequently this cross is symbolic of rebirth or regeneration and often used as a Baptismal Cross.
For the same reason, a baptismal font is often octagonal.
(See also the eight-pointed Maltese Cross, Christening Cross, Baptist Union Cross, Infinity Cross and St. John's Cross.)
