Christian cross symbols and what they mean
The Latin cross ✝︎, with a long lower arm, is the most common symbol of Christianity and recalls the crucifixion of Jesus. ✞ and ✟ are decorative versions of the same shape, and 🕆 🕇 are white and heavy variants.
The Orthodox cross ☦︎ adds a short top bar for the inscription and a slanted footrest, and is used especially by the Russian and other Eastern Orthodox churches. The Maltese cross ✠, with eight points, is linked to the Knights Hospitaller of Malta. The Cross of Lorraine ☨ has two bars and was the emblem of the Free French in World War II. ☧ is the Chi Rho, made from the first two Greek letters of "Christ", 🕈 is the ringed Celtic cross, and ♰ ♱ are the West and East Syriac crosses.
The turned dagger ⸸ is often used as an upside-down cross. In Christian tradition, an inverted cross is the Cross of St. Peter, who is said to have been crucified upside down.
Dagger † and X crosses ❌︎
The dagger † and double dagger ‡ are typography marks for footnotes. In genealogy and older books, † before a year means "died", as in †1890.
When people search for a "cross symbol" they often mean an X: ❌︎ for wrong or cancelled, ✗ and ✘ for a failed checklist item, and × for multiplication. The saltire ☓ is the diagonal cross of St. Andrew, the one on the flag of Scotland. Pair X marks with ticks from the check mark symbol page, or find more on X symbols.
How to type a cross symbol
In Microsoft Word, type 271D and press Alt + X to get ✝︎, or 2626 for ☦︎. On Windows, Alt + 0134 types the dagger †, and on a Mac Option + T does the same. In HTML, use † for † or ✝ for ✝︎.
On iPhone and Android, search "cross" in the emoji keyboard to find ✝️ and ☦️. In a bio, a simple ✝︎ next to your name or a verse reference, such as ✝︎ John 3:16, works well.