Who wears the Tau Cross?

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Any Catholics out there with a Tau rosary or wear a Tau Cross medal?
 
Hi Kevin, there are those in my Secular Franciscan Order that wear the Tau Cross. It is said that St. Francis used this symbol when signing letters. (I spoke to my friend from Southy, who was back there 2 years ago and agrees that the neighborhood has changed.)
 
Deacon Tony560:
Hi Kevin, there are those in my Secular Franciscan Order that wear the Tau Cross. It is said that St. Francis used this symbol when signing letters. (I spoke to my friend from Southy, who was back there 2 years ago and agrees that the neighborhood has changed.)
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Hi,

How common is the Tau Cross outside of Francisan circles? I just went to Mass (14 Stations of the Cross) at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Downtown Boston, and even the Friars OFM weren’t wearing them, and none of the attendees at Mass had one either?

Do you have one?

Thanks!
Kevin Walker
South Boston, Massachusetts

P.S. Oh by the way; the nickname for South Boston is ‘Southie’ and not Southy.
 
I think it is pretty common. In one church that I visited, the altar servers wore Tau Crosses. I did have one, but don’t wear one now. There are those in my local Franciscan (Lay) group that wear them. When I wear a cross, it is a very large one with a corpus. A Redemptorist Missionary convinced me that the larger the better.

Deacon Tony
 
Lay Franciscans also have a magazine called, “The Tau.” It is felt that this type of a T cross was used at the time of Jesus, because they did not want to waste wood on criminals.

Deacon Tony
 
Deacon Tony560:
I think it is pretty common. In one church that I visited, the altar servers wore Tau Crosses. I did have one, but don’t wear one now. There are those in my local Franciscan (Lay) group that wear them. When I wear a cross, it is a very large one with a corpus. A Redemptorist Missionary convinced me that the larger the better.

Deacon Tony
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How large is large? I’m in the market for a Tau Cross. Saw a wooden one on the internet that looked pretty cool, it was about 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" and I thought that was kinda big.

Since I tend to lose things quite a bit, I don’t want to pay $200 for a nice gold Tau Cross only to have the thing ripped off or lost.

I’m also intereste in a Franciscan rosary with a Tau Cross instead of the usual crucifix, I also saw one on the ‘net’.

So, how large would you go for a Tau Cross?

Thanks!
 
Deacon Tony560:
I think it is pretty common. In one church that I visited, the altar servers wore Tau Crosses. I did have one, but don’t wear one now. There are those in my local Franciscan (Lay) group that wear them. When I wear a cross, it is a very large one with a corpus. A Redemptorist Missionary convinced me that the larger the better.

Deacon Tony
Click to expand...
How large is large? I’m in the market for a Tau Cross. Saw a wooden one on the internet that looked pretty cool, it was about 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" and I thought that was kinda big.

Since I tend to lose things quite a bit, I don’t want to pay $200 for a nice gold Tau Cross only to have the thing ripped off or lost.

I’m also interested in a Franciscan rosary with a Tau Cross instead of the usual crucifix, I also saw one on the ‘net’.

So, how large would you go for a Tau Cross?

Thanks!
 
I wear a Tau Crucifix (Tau Cross with the Corpus of Christ).

All the S.F.O’s in my Parish wear the Tau as do some of the Capuchins, but I was told by one Brother that they themselves represent a Tau, because of the shape of their habit and its colour ; when they stand with their arms out to the side, they look like a giant Tau Cross.

Yours in the Spirit

Pious
 
The cross I wear is not a Tau cross and is 4 or 5 inches long. The one that you saw on the Net is about the right size for a Tau cross. Check Autom catholic catalogue. The small wooden ones are very inexpensive. Maybe Pious will tell us how big his cross is.

Deacon Tony
 
Deacon Tony560:
The cross I wear is not a Tau cross and is 4 or 5 inches long. The one that you saw on the Net is about the right size for a Tau cross. Check Autom catholic catalogue. The small wooden ones are very inexpensive. Maybe Pious will tell us how big his cross is.

Deacon Tony
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Thanks for the site. Also, just for your information, here is the website of the Franciscan Shrine in downtown Boston where I hangout quiet abit:

saintanthonyshrine.com/

I see quite a bit of the locals on Boston Common wearing a stylized wooden Episcopaelean (sp?) cross around their necks tied with a leather thong or strip. About time I show off the Catholic colors, or Tau Crosses.
 
Hello,

The Tau Cross is the official habit, or identifying symbol of the Secualr Franciscan Order. The usual Tau worn by SFO is made of wood suspended from a knotted cord. (three knots). The Tau Cross is given to every SFO candidate upon admission to the Order in the ritual of Admission when he/she begins the candedacy phase of formation.

OFMs do not wear the Tau. It is the symbol of the Secualr Order. I do not know if people outside the Order wear a Tau Cross. Actually, they shouldn’t since it is SFO’s “official habit”. But, I guess there is nothing to stop anyone from buying one and wearing it.

Sometimes you wil see a Tau with two arms crosses across the stem of the cross. Each of the hands are pierced. One represents Christ, the other Francis.

The Franciscn rosary is the Crown rosary. There are seven decads representing the seven joys of Mary. The crucifix at the bottom is usually the Franciscan, or San Damiano Cross, not the Tau.

I wear my wooden Tau every day, and I wear a silver ring with the Tau and the crossed arms which I received on the day of my profession to the Secular Franciscan Order.

Pax et Bonum!
 
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tmore35:
Hello,

The Tau Cross is the official habit, or identifying symbol of the Secualr Franciscan Order. The usual Tau worn by SFO is made of wood suspended from a knotted cord. (three knots). The Tau Cross is given to every SFO candidate upon admission to the Order in the ritual of Admission when he/she begins the candedacy phase of formation.

OFMs do not wear the Tau. It is the symbol of the Secualr Order. I do not know if people outside the Order wear a Tau Cross. Actually, they shouldn’t since it is SFO’s “official habit”. But, I guess there is nothing to stop anyone from buying one and wearing it.

Sometimes you wil see a Tau with two arms crosses across the stem of the cross. Each of the hands are pierced. One represents Christ, the other Francis.

The Franciscn rosary is the Crown rosary. There are seven decads representing the seven joys of Mary. The crucifix at the bottom is usually the Franciscan, or San Damiano Cross, not the Tau.

I wear my wooden Tau every day, and I wear a silver ring with the Tau and the crossed arms which I received on the day of my profession to the Secular Franciscan Order.

Pax et Bonum!
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for this valuable feedback. I don’t want to be accused of impersonating and SFO if I naively wear a Tau Cross just out of admiration of the Franciscan Order.

Also, I was going to seek out and purchase a Franciscan rosary for the same reason, out of my admiration of the Franciscan Order, but I’ll hold back now so I don’t commit a faux paux.
 
40.png
tmore35:
Hello,

The Tau Cross is the official habit, or identifying symbol of the Secualr Franciscan Order. The usual Tau worn by SFO is made of wood suspended from a knotted cord. (three knots). The Tau Cross is given to every SFO candidate upon admission to the Order in the ritual of Admission when he/she begins the candedacy phase of formation.

OFMs do not wear the Tau. It is the symbol of the Secualr Order. I do not know if people outside the Order wear a Tau Cross. Actually, they shouldn’t since it is SFO’s “official habit”. But, I guess there is nothing to stop anyone from buying one and wearing it.

Sometimes you wil see a Tau with two arms crosses across the stem of the cross. Each of the hands are pierced. One represents Christ, the other Francis.

The Franciscn rosary is the Crown rosary. There are seven decads representing the seven joys of Mary. The crucifix at the bottom is usually the Franciscan, or San Damiano Cross, not the Tau.

I wear my wooden Tau every day, and I wear a silver ring with the Tau and the crossed arms which I received on the day of my profession to the Secular Franciscan Order.

Pax et Bonum!
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for this valuable feedback. I don’t want to be accused of impersonating an SFO if I naively wear a Tau Cross just out of admiration of the Franciscan Order.

Also, I was going to seek out and purchase a Franciscan rosary for the same reason, out of my admiration of the Franciscan Order, but I’ll hold back now so I don’t commit a faux paux.
 
Anyone can and should use the Crown Rosary. As far as wearing a Tau cross, well, I don’t think it would be wrong, but you might be mistaken for a Secular Franciscan.

Actually, most people don’t have the vaguest idea what it is, or what it representes.
 
Kevin Walker:
Thanks for the site. Also, just for your information, here is the website of the Franciscan Shrine in downtown Boston where I hangout quiet abit:

saintanthonyshrine.com/

I see quite a bit of the locals on Boston Common wearing a stylized wooden Episcopaelean (sp?) cross around their necks tied with a leather thong or strip. About time I show off the Catholic colors, or Tau Crosses.
Click to expand...
Great site! I wish I could attend the Spanish for Ministers class. Hope you will wear the Tau. tmore35 is right. Most will not know what it is. Maybe you can get a few converts.
 
Deacon Tony560:
Great site! I wish I could attend the Spanish for Ministers class. Hope you will wear the Tau. tmore35 is right. Most will not know what it is. Maybe you can get a few converts.
Click to expand...
Yes, thank you. That was part of my idea, the Tau Cross is unique, represents a really great Catholic group (the Franciscan Friars OFM), will probably promote a few inquiries, and if it aggravates the Protestants - then I get to practice some more apologetics.

So since the Tau Cross is so uniquely Franciscan, and I’ve been a recent but real fan of theirs over the past five years, I thought I would go out and just wear one. Hope I don’t offend any real SFO guys.

Also, I am definately going to purchase a Francisan Crown rosary.
Thanx again!
Peace and Good!
 
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