For the Christian symbol, see Christian cross. For other uses, see Cross (disambiguation).

A Greek cross (all arms of equal length) above a saltire, a cross whose limbs are slantedA cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a saltire in heraldic terminology.

The cross has been widely recognized as a symbol of Christianity from an early period.[1][2][3] Before then, it was a pagan religious symbol throughout Europe and western Asia. The effigy of a man hanging on a cross was set up in the fields to protect the crops. It often appeared in conjunction with the female-genital circle or oval, to signify the sacred marriage, as in Egyptian amulet Nefer[4] with male cross and female orb, considered as an amulet of blessedness, a charm of sexual harmony