Today the cross is probably the most widely recognized symbol in the world. For almost 2,000 years it has served as a universal sign of Christianity. However, its use predates the birth of Christ by thousands of years. The basic cross (intersecting lines) is found in every culture in pre-historic times. It marks the points of the compass and gives direction along the way. Our familiarity with the cross as a tool of capital punishment comes from Roman practice; it was not used by Israel. The Romans began using crucifixion a few years before Christ's time, but reserved this harsh method for non-Romans.

  The early Christians did not readily adopt the cross as a symbol of their faith. The memory of the crucifixion was too difficult for them to use. There was also the problem of persecution that kept early Christians from displaying the cross. They tended to use more subtle images such as a fish, known as an ichthus. The early Christians did not need to be reminded of Christ's death and resurrection -- it was the very essence of their faith.

  The size and exact shape of the cross are not available to us. The New Testament does not give us these details but there are some other things we do know:

•     Christ went out carrying his own cross.

•     It was such a heavy load Romans ordered Simon to help bear it.

•     It was placed in a very public place.

•     It was wood (not brass, gold, or silver).

•     We know the inscription that was placed on the cross.

•     We know the inscription was placed "over" the Lord's head, thus indicating a Latin type of cross with center post sticking up.

•     We know that he was nailed to the cross.

•     Above all, I know that he died there for me.

    While it is likely neither the Romans nor the Jews intended for it to happen, the cross became an omnipresent symbol in the world. Near the end of the first century, Justin Martyr acknowledged that everywhere he looked he saw the cross. In the second century, Tertullian talks of making the sign of the cross on the forehead. With Constantine, the history of the cross took a different direction. The Roman emperor told of seeing a cross in the sky, emblazoned with the words "By This Sign Conquer."

    Suddenly the church was no longer the enemy. Constantine saw in the church a vehicle to be used in his conquest and the cross became a symbol of that conquest. The cross was carried as a banner in battle and was an ornament for armament. On a pilgrimage to Israel in 326 A.D., Constantine's mother, Helena, purportedly found the "true cross" or ultimate relic.