Pope's upside-down cross on his chair

[malachi_a_serva]

Now I did a search for previous threads and read them in this regard.

My question is… why honor “Peter”?

Isn’t Jesus the whole reason? Why deviate? I understand “Peter” was (argueably) the first “Pope”. But isn’t Christ’s upright cross more significant, more important than Peter’s upsidedown cross?

ewtn.com/holyland2000/gallery/gallery6.asp#

 

[Gamera]

Because we are to give honor to those to whom honor is due, (see Romans 13:7).

 

[Church_Militant]

Did it never occur to you that that is some artist’s way of honoring the Pope and nothing more?

It’s art.

If you read the other threads then why bother us with this one?

It’s really simple…stop looking for conspiracies and demons behind every bush.:hypno: :hypno: :hypno: :coffeeread:

 

[malachi_a_serva]

Believe me I am not.

This intrigued me. I did a search. Read the threads and came up that the reason for the upside down cross was because Peter was crucified upside down.

But we are Christians.

Not Peterians.

So why usurp the sacrafice that gave us redemption?

 

[NotWorthy]

I’m curious, what is the Pope holding in his hands in most of those pictures? Isn’t it the Cross of Christ?

 

[NotWorthy]

The Upside down cross on the back of Peter’s Chair. Doesn’t the Pope teach from the Chair of Peter, just as the Pharisees taught from the Chair of Moses? Were they placing Moses works above God’s?

 

[Church_Militant]

Believe me I am not.

This intrigued me. I did a search. Read the threads and came up that the reason for the upside down cross was because Peter was crucified upside down.

But we are Christians.

Not Peterians.

So why usurp the sacrafice that gave us redemption?

Where do you see any usurpation? You’d better be able to back that up with some serious proofs buddy because I think you’re trying to be slick.

I think you’re just baiting and bashing in your own special way.

It’s been explained…that’s all there is to it.

 

[bankerdavid]

Now I did a search for previous threads and read them in this regard.

My question is… why honor “Peter”?

Isn’t Jesus the whole reason? Why deviate? I understand “Peter” was (argueably) the first “Pope”. But isn’t Christ’s upright cross more significant, more important than Peter’s upsidedown cross?

ewtn.com/holyland2000/gallery/gallery6.asp#

Nothing arguable about it.

13
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi 9 he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16
**Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” **
17
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
18
And so I say to you, you are Peter (rock), and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
19
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Regarding the chair, it is the Chair of St. Peter, which is why the cross is upside down, because Peter was crucified upside down. Any importance of Peter, also, directs us to the importance of Jesus, our Lord.

 

[Socio_Momma]

The Pope is the successor of St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ and is the servant of Christ’s. This inverted cross is to be a humbling symbol. Tradition has taught us that St. Peter was crucified upside down (at his own request) because he believed that he was unworthy to die the same way as the Lord. All Popes should hold that humility of St. Peter to heart in his death & remember that one should be willing to die for the Lord (really all Christians should remember this).

The plain inverted cross is a symbol for St. Peter dating from Early Christianity. A crucifix or any image of the Lord should never be placed upside down as a sign of disrespect.

 

[Gamera]

A general observation — why do non-Catholics devote so much time to analyzing our every move? I certainly don’t spend time asking Wesleyans “Wny do you do this? How can you explain that?”

 

[malachi_a_serva]

I’m curious, what is the Pope holding in his hands in most of those pictures? Isn’t it the Cross of Christ?

Hi NotWorthy and thank you for your response. Unfortunately, that “bent cross” has issues as well from a non-catholic perspective. I believe you posted on one of the threads…indicating that it was bent as it was as Christ had the world’s sins on him (not sure if that was you). Just that that bent cross thing is kind of creepy in itself (IMHO).

 

[Inman]

The reason Peter was crucified that way was because he felt he was unworthy to be die the way Jesus did. By including that as symbol, it reiterates the Pope role as a servant of Jesus.

 

[NotWorthy]

Hi NotWorthy and thank you for your response. Unfortunately, that “bent cross” has issues as well from a non-catholic perspective. I believe you posted on one of the threads…indicating that it was bent as it was as Christ had the world’s sins on him (not sure if that was you). Just that that bent cross thing is kind of creepy in itself (IMHO).

No, it was not me, but that bent Cross is simply Beautiful!!!

I think it demonstrates Jesus’ humanity in a way the typical Crucifix doesn’t. I know, I know, it’s just me and my own opinion, but I do so love that bent Cross.

 

[Rawb]

This intrigued me. I did a search. Read the threads and came up that the reason for the upside down cross was because Peter was crucified upside down.

But we are Christians.

Not Peterians.

So why usurp the sacrafice that gave us redemption?

The upside down cross is on the back of The Chair of St. Peter, and in depictions of St. Peter being crucified (which you only see on St. Peter’s Holy Cards or in stained glass windows featuring St. Peter’s crucifiction.)

The Crucifix with Christ upon it is found:
In the Pope’s Hands
Around his Neck
Above every altar in every Catholic church (or it should be anyway)
Around the necks of our priests and bishops,
We, the Laity, wear it around our neck
It’s above our beds and home shrines
In depictions of the Stations of the Cross
At the end of our Rosaries
On the cover of our Bibles
In paintings in our house

So how are we ‘usurping’ Christ’s redemptive sacrifice by showing St. Peter’s cross in a few places (specifically on the back of the Chair of St. Peter - the chair dedicated to him) when we have Crucifixes EVERYWHERE else?

 

[lagin]

Now I did a search for previous threads and read them in this regard.

My question is… why honor “Peter”?

Isn’t Jesus the whole reason? Why deviate? I understand “Peter” was (argueably) the first “Pope”. But isn’t Christ’s upright cross more significant, more important than Peter’s upsidedown cross?

ewtn.com/holyland2000/gallery/gallery6.asp#

This is just a thought; I could be wrong:

As I recall, Peter asked to be crucified upside down because he didn’t believe he was worthy to be crucified in the exact same manner as Jesus. It was an supreme act of humility on Peter’s part.

John Paul II, a legitimate successor of St. Peter, too, was a humble man. To me it seems fitting that this symbol of humility is used. To me it says, “Unworthy servant of the Lord and His people, though I am, I come to do Your will.”

 

[NotWorthy]

The reason Peter was crucified that way was because he felt he was unworthy to be die the way Jesus did. By including that as symbol, it reiterates the Pope role as a servant of Jesus.

Amen! Great point!

 

[malachi_a_serva]

A general observation — why do non-Catholics devote so much time to analyzing our every move? I certainly don’t spend time asking Wesleyans “Wny do you do this? How can you explain that?”

I guess the most important point (and my point) is that the Roman Catholic Church proclaims to the One True Church that Jesus established of which no salvation is possible outside of it (with exceptions).

So, as it is vitally important to my soul’s eternal destination; I need to test all things and more importantly I will “know them by their fruit”.

So in contrast to probably what most people think I am doing (Catholic Bashing) - I am putting pieces together for me-in my mind to determine if this claim is valid in my fallible humble opinion.

 

[brianwalden]

Believe me I am not.

This intrigued me. I did a search. Read the threads and came up that the reason for the upside down cross was because Peter was crucified upside down.

But we are Christians.

Not Peterians.

So why usurp the sacrafice that gave us redemption?

Peter was crucified for Christ. In honoring Peter’s crucifixion we’re honoring Christ’s. Whenever we honor a selfless act of charity or one of Christ’s saints we’re honoring Christ. When we honor that which is good, we honor the Person in which that Goodness originates.

Maybe I’m wrong, but if I am wouldn’t we then have to get rid of St. Andrew’s cross and all the other crosses honoring saints. And all statues and images of saints. And pictures of our family members. And trophies and plaques which honor our accomplishments. And good report cards hanging on the refrigerator.

 

[malachi_a_serva]

Peter was crucified for Christ. In honoring Peter’s crucifixion we’re honoring Christ’s. Whenever we honor a selfless act of charity or one of Christ’s saints we’re honoring Christ. When we honor that which is good, we honor the Person in which that Goodness originates.

Maybe I’m wrong, but if I am wouldn’t we then have to get rid of St. Andrew’s cross and all the other crosses honoring saints. And all statues and images of saints. And pictures of our family members. And trophies and plaques which honor our accomplishments. And good report cards hanging on the refrigerator.

I understand, yes Peter was crucified upside down because he was not worthy… (NotWorthy )

But

Peter, Peter, Peter, Peter…

Why not JESUS!

Instead of supposedly honouring Jesus by honouring Peter’s humblesness and martrydom (sp?)…

Just go straight to JESUS AND worship, remember, honor, him.

 

[mercygate]

No, it was not me, but that bent Cross is simply Beautiful!!!

I think it demonstrates Jesus’ humanity in a way the typical Crucifix doesn’t. I know, I know, it’s just me and my own opinion, but I do so love that bent Cross.

I was one (doubtless there were others) who reflected that the bent arms of the cross indicate the weight of the world’s sin. If you look at those bent-arm crosses – popular in mediaeval northern Europe – you will see that they look like tree branches rather than hewn beams. This harks back to the tree of Eden since the tree of the cross puts right what was made wrong in the Garden.