Przepierski, Stanisław2026-02-112026-02-111999Studia Theologica Varsaviensia, 1999, R. 37, nr 2, s. 59-83.https://theo-logos.pl/handle/123456789/41330First the author presents a list of non-Christian meanings of the cross and the kinds of crosses which appeared in the pre-Christian times (e.g. the mystical cross, the cross in the circle, the swastika, the Egyptian cross, the so-called ANKH, the Greek cross). The author, starts with the presentation of the various meanings of the cross in Christianity (sensu stricto, sensu largo, in the metaphorical sense), then goes on to the analysis of various kinds of the cross in Christian thinking (crux exemplata, crux immissa, crux patibulata, crux commisa, crux decussata, «the Tree of Life»). Particular attention is given to the crucifix in the historical development of different ways of presenting the figure of crucified Christ: (i) the vicarious way, which is based on Old Testament figures. This way is a kind of ‘semantic translation’ of the mystery of Christ; it presupposes an elementary religous education of the receiver (this education constitutes a wide semantic field for this translation); (ii) the symbolic-theological way; (iii) the realistic way. In each of these representations the author analyses die semiotic functions of all die details representing Jesus Christ (the body, the head, the position of the arms, the garments, the inscriptions, the nails, the crown of thorns and other martyrdom paraphernalia). The author marks out here various types of semiotic functions: (a) informative, (b) memorative, (c) empfatic, (d) stimulating, (e) evocative, (f) defending, (g) exorcizing. A separate problem is the semantic field of the cross and semiotic functions of persons depicted in this semantic field (Mary, Adam and Eve, St. John the Babtist, St. John the Evangelist, etc.), and of objects (the Sun, the Moon, the cock, the skull and bones, the ladder, the hammer, the instruments of passion), and of Satan, angels, the Church and the Synagogue, the Blood of Christ, the pelican, the lamb. Finally the analysis of the symbolic functions of the holy cross in Catholic theology is made. These symbols are: the symbol of salvation, the symbol of love, of reconciliation, of humility, of obedience and peace, of freedom, of solidarity, of the Church, of the glory of the saved, of the Last Judgement, of the perfect offering, of Christ’s priesthood, of the altar, of the sacraments, of Christian virtues, of the sanctification, of the Eternal Kingdom, of the „Tree of Life”, of the call to conversion. To round off the author shows two kinds of making the sign of the cross and their semiotic functions.polCC-BY-ND - Uznanie autorstwa - Bez utworów zależnychkrzyżsymbolsymbolikasemiotykasymbolika chrześcijańskacrossimagerysemioticsChristian symbolismArticle