There are many different reasons to get tattoos, and just as many different ideas and styles of tattoos. People get tattoos to mark milestones, to remember a loved one, or just because they like a particular design. But, whatever the reason, and whatever your choice of design is, your tattoo is very personal to you. One popular design is a tattoo cross. There are so many different styles, options and meanings when you get a cross tattoo.
Down through history, many cultures have used the cross, or a variation thereof, as a sacred symbol. From the Egyptians’ and the ankh to modern Christianity and the modern cross, people have gotten tattoo cross to show their religious devotion. In the early days of Christianity, Christians’ got discrete cross tattoos so that they could easily distinguish themselves. During the Crusades, before the Crusaders left for war, they would get a small cross tattooed on their hands to show that they wanted a Christian burial. The tattoo designs that they used were small and simple. But, those are not the cross tattoos that we see these days. Or the reasons that people get tattoos.
These days, people are still getting tattoo cross, but they are much more complex and can be much larger. The cross tattoo ideas can range from a relatively simple tattoo that is fairly small to crosses that take up the entire back that is incredibly intricate, with beams of light behind them, and can be either classic black and grey or full colour. Some people get tattoos because they feel that having a cross tattooed somewhere on their body is a sign of protection that can help keep them safe. Others get them because they want to show their religious devotion.
However, these days, the most common reason to get a tattoo cross is in memorial to a lost loved one. These tattoo designs often have names, initials, or birth/death dates incorporated in them somewhere, often as a banner draped on or around the cross itself. Whatever the reason or design, cross tattoos have been around for centuries, and look to be around for many more.