Full color portrait tattoo of Mary and the cross

For a Christian, a cross tattoo is the symbol of our saviors ever-lasting love for mankind and the promise of life never-ending. It is a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice he made to ensure forgiveness of our sins. It embodies hope and love.

The Crucifix

This design represents that symbol of sacrifice. It will have an image of Christ engraved and will often contain a circle of thorns and the cross itself will in detail resemble the wooden crucifix our savior carried to his impending death. Some will be in such great detail that the nails are visible, along with drops of sacrificial blood.

The Celtic Design

This cross tattoo design is becoming more popular as the intricate weaving of the Celtic design is both mysterious and beautiful in its own right. If you have Irish heritage perhaps you are aware of its' symbolic nature. The circle of the Celtic cross represents love eternal, as the traditional cross does.

For those who practice Wicca, this design represents the five elements of nature, being Earth, Air, Fire, Water and the Great Spirit which is also known as the Great Goddess. Contrary to some belief, those who practice Wicca are very spiritual and are not Devil worshipers. Harm None is their motto and the Celtic cross tattoo is worn with love and pride.

It is said that Saint Patrick created the first Celtic cross while preaching atop a mountain. He was shown a sacred rock which a circle was carved, said to represent the moon goddess. He drew a Latin cross through that circle and blessed it, combining both Druid and Christian beliefs.

Cross Tattoos Design

Cross tattoo has been around for years and has never lost its appeal even up to the present day. The reason being is its universal meaning plus the powerful significance it can convey. It generally is a representation of one's spiritual beliefs and faith.

Aside from being a religious symbol, it is also use as in loving memory tattoo, also known as RIP tattoo. Sometimes, symbols like heart, banner and flowers are combined along with the name of the dead person and the death date. The cross is tattooed as a memory of a loved one who passed away as if serving as a gravestone on one's body.

This type of body art comes in many forms. It was a favorite among the old school type of tattoos patronized by bikers, seaman and merchants. It can be seen combined with other elements such as skull, star, flames, dagger, rose, heart and banner.

Celtic cross is another popular cross tat design which is a representation of Irish, Scottish or Welsh heritage. It is easily identifiable as it is interwoven with Celtic knot which is a symbol of the never ending cycle of life. Some tat enthusiasts also choose to incorporate tribal art into their tattoo design while some choose the Gothic style of cross tat.

The Christian cross tattoo is the most popular form that is meant to symbolize one's faith in God. It can be in the form of Latin cross (simple cross) or in the form of crucifix bearing Christ's image while he was being crucified. It can also be combined with other religious images such as the angel, the rosary, image of Mary and Jesus Christ.

The symbol of cross as a tat image is usually inked small, perhaps to retain the sincerity of their symbolism. It is usually seen on small parts of the body such as the ankle, foot, wrist, upper back and arm. Cross tattoo, with its wide appeal and holy implications will always remain as a tat image that will be around for more years to come.

Celtic Cross Tattoo

The art of the celtic cross tattoo dates back thousands of years when the early Celts showed an amazing talent for metal working and craftsmanship of all kinds. The celtic cross tattoo is usually made up of several of what are called celtic knots, which are never-ending loops and circles which are meant to symbolize the cycles of reincarnation and death. The never-ending loops and circles also stood for the physical as well as the spiritual and represented the permanence of love, life and very often faith.

The typical theory of people from North America is that they will wear a celtic cross tattoo as a way of remembering their descent, but I say that for the most part that is probably not true. Most people who get a tattoo are younger people and they do it because they like the way the tattoo looks and not for anything having to do with their lineage. Maybe when they get older they will claim that, but when they were young and got the celtic cross tattoo, I think they were simply being impulsive, with no hidden meaning what so ever. There are lots of very cool designs of Celtic Crosses out there so shop carefully before choosing yours.

This tattoo almost has a tribal feeling with the geometic designs they used, look at the patterns repeat themselves until you have a very complex design. I like the feeling this celtic cross tattoo presents when you look at it. I like the spiral effects the design gives off when viewed up close. You will notice on this celtic cross tattoo it has a some what religious feeling about it. The cross and the jewels remind me of a crown symbol of sorts. If you notice the weaving of the curls it makes this celtic cross tattoo look like it is for the common man and not of royalty. I believe this style of celtic goes back to the 8th or 9th century when celtic designs were used very often through out most of old europe.

I have a celtic cross tattoo on the back of my right leg. I have always felt anything celtic gave off the feeling of love and admiration to another. I like this tattoo a lot, probably better than the one I have on my leg. I might have to do another on my other leg and try to use some of this design to better it this time around.