Maltese Cross Meaning For Firefighters
It derives from the maltese cross and st florian patron saint of firefighters.
Maltese cross meaning for firefighters. The cross represents the fire service ideals of saving lives and extinguishing fires. Florian cross is a symbol of protection and a badge of honor. This is the story that this symbol of chivalry has to tell and bring to light the correlation between it and the fire service. It means that the fire fighter who wears this cross is willing to lay down his life for you just as the crusaders sacrificed their lives for their.
The maltese cross it is universally agreed that the four arms of the cross stand for the four cardinal virtues namely. The maltese cross is a sharp eight pointed cross in the form of four arrowheads whose points touch whereas the firefighter s has rounded arcs between the four points. If you take a look at almost any fire apparatus today you re likely to see the maltese cross. Its story is hundreds of years old it goes on to say the st.
Florian cross oftentimes mistakenly called the maltese cross. The badge of a fireman is the st. The insignia of the fire service is the cross pattee nowy otherwise known as the maltese cross. Various authorities give differing meanings to the eight points.
Although it may have eight or more points it also has large curved arcs between the points. While it s not really there for aesthetic appeal this emblem has a very rich history and it symbolized an elite group of people that have dedicated their lives to serve their everyone in need. The legend of the maltese cross grew as it became associated with the admirable qualities of loyalty bravery and defender of the weak. The maltese cross firefighters.
The firefighter cross is a symbol of honor valor courage and integrity. The maltese cross is a symbol of protection. Today firefighters across the country wear the time honored. The maltese cross is a badge of honor signifying that he works in courage a ladders rung away from death.
For the eight points and the meanings given is not so straight forward. Florian cross is oftentimes confused for the maltese cross. The firefighter s cross sometimes mistakenly called the cross of saint florian for the patron saint of firefighters is often confused with the maltese cross for example the new york city fire department so calls it.