The Crucifixion of St. Peter (painting by Peter Paul Rubens – 1577-1640).
We recently had a question from a caller during our Wacky Wednesday radio show asking about the meaning of the upside-down cross. Is this symbol blasphemous?
The symbol of an inverted cross is not necessarily blasphemous. It depends on the context in which it is used.
As Catholic Answers explains in this article, “The upside down cross is an ancient symbol of St. Peter’s crucifixion. Tradition tells us that when St. Peter was martyred, he insisted that he be crucified upside down as he did not believe himself worthy to be crucified in the manner of Jesus Christ.”
This is why the Church uses the upside-down cross (without a corpus) to designate Peter rather than Christ, which explains why this symbol is used to designate the Pope.
Cross of St. Peter
However, during the 19th century, an occultist. Named Eugene Vintras, who believed he was the reincarnation of the Prophet Elijah, began wearing an inverted cross. He was condemned by followers of Pope Gregory XVI in an 1846 pamphlet which accused Vintras of homosexuality, conducting Black Masses in the nude, and other lewd acts on altars.
Since then, the inverted cross has been used as a symbol of atheism, humanism, and the occult. The black metal band, Ghost, uses an inverted cross in place of the final “t” in the band’s name. Glen Benton of the band, Deicide, has this cross tattooed on his forehead.
In addition, many horror films use the inverted cross as part of their imagery for demonic-themed movies such as The Amityville Horror, The Conjuring, and Rosemary’s Baby which features an upside-down cross hanging over the bassinet containing Satan’s son.
As this site explains, “Sometimes, it is accompanied by statements such as ‘Believe in Yourself,’ ‘There Is No God,’ ‘Black Mass,’ or ‘Not Transformed.’ In these contexts, the obvious intent of the inverted cross is to declare an opposition to Christianity. Turning the cross upside down becomes a means of denying the truth of Christ and mocking His sacrifice.”
Depending on the context, the upside-down cross can be used either as a mockery of Christ or as a symbol of the Papacy and the humility of St. Peter.
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