View source for Order of Christ Cross

{{Short description|Cross symbol of Portugal}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2012}}
[[File:Portuguese Discoveries and Empire Flag.svg|thumb|right|Cross of Order of Christ]]
[[File:Cross of the Supreme Order of Christ.svg|thumb|right|Cross of the Supreme Order of Christ]]
The '''Cross of the Order of Christ''' ({{Langx|pt|Cruz da Ordem de Cristo}}), also known as the '''Cross of Christ''' ({{Lang|pt|Cruz de Cristo}}) or the '''Portuguese Cross''' ({{Lang|pt|Cruz Portuguesa}}), is a [[cross]] symbol of [[Portugal]], originating in the Portuguese [[Order of Christ (Portugal)|Order of Christ]], founded in 1319. During the time of [[Prince Henry the Navigator]], the cross came to be associated with the [[Portuguese discoveries]] and the [[Portuguese Empire]]. The cross can be considered a variant of the [[cross pattée]] or the [[cross potent]].

==History==
[[File:Caravela Vera Cruz no rio Tejo.jpg|thumb|right|Replica of a Portuguese [[caravel]] used during the [[Portuguese discoveries]]]]
As the Order of Christ, led by [[Prince Henry, the Navigator]], was a leading developer of the [[History of Portugal (1419-1499)|Portuguese Discoveries]], the Cross of Christ was used on the sails of the Portuguese [[caravel]]s, [[carrack]]s and other ships involved in the exploration of the seas. Because of this, the emblem was forever associated with the Portuguese discoveries, making it one of the main symbols of the discoveries and of the [[Portuguese Empire]].

After, [[Manuel I of Portugal|Manuel]], [[duke of Beja]] and governor of the Order of Christ, having become [[King of Portugal]], the Cross of Christ came to be regarded and used as a national emblem of [[Portugal]]. It has since become a generic Portuguese and, later, Brazilian emblem. After [[Pedro I of Brazil|Pedro]] declared the independence of Brazil, and became [[Emperor of Brazil]], the Cross of Christ was also present in the coat of arms and flag of the former [[Empire of Brazil]].

Since 1789, the Cross of Christ is depicted on the [[Sash of the Three Orders]].

It was also the symbol of the [[National Syndicalists (Portugal)|Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista]], a Portuguese political movement of the early 1930s.

==Usage==
[[File:The cross of Christ (27210450530).jpg|thumb|right|Crosses of the Order of Christ at the Monastery of Batalha]]
Today, the Cross of Christ is present in many flags and emblems of Portugal and Brazil. Examples are the flags of the [[city of São Paulo]] and the Portuguese [[Madeira Islands|Autonomous Region of Madeira]], the coat of arms of several Portuguese and Brazilian cities and municipalities, the badges of the [[Portugal National Football Team|Portuguese]] and [[Brazil national football team]]s and the [[aircraft roundel|roundel]]s of the [[Portuguese Air Force]] aircraft.

==Gallery==
[[File:Lisboa - Torre de Belém 04.jpg|thumb|right|[[Manueline]] balcony of [[Belém Tower]]]]
===Historical examples===
{{gallery|width=120|height=120|noborder=yes|whitebg=no
|File:Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Portugal 1640-1910 (3).svg|{{center|[[Coat of arms of Portugal|Royal coat of arms]] of the [[Kingdom of Portugal]]}}
|File:Coat of arms of the Empire of Brazil (1822-1853).svg|{{center|[[Coat of arms of Brazil|Imperial coat of arms]] of the [[Empire of Brazil]]}}
|File:Flag John V of Portugal with Order of Christ.svg|{{center|Royal standard of King [[John V of Portugal]]}}
|File:Flag of the Provincia Cisplatina.svg|{{center|Flag of the [[Cisplatina|Cisplatine Province]]}}
|File:Flag_of_Portuguese_Colony_Governor_General.svg|{{center|Flag of a Governor-General of the [[Portuguese Empire]]}}
|File:Flag of Portuguese Colony Governor.svg|{{center|Flag of a Governor of the [[Portuguese Empire]]}}
|File:Flag of Portuguese Colonial Province Governor.svg|{{center|Flag of a Province Governor of the [[Portuguese Empire]]}}
|File:Flag_of_Portuguese_Colonial_District_Intendent.svg|{{center|Flag of an Intendent of the [[Portuguese Empire]]}}
|File:Flag_of_Portuguese_Colonial_Officer.svg|{{center|Flag of an Officer of the [[Portuguese Empire]]}}
|File:BandeiraRestauração.svg|{{center|[[War flag]] of Portugal during the [[Portuguese Restoration War]]}}
|File:Portugal Order of the Colonial Empire.svg|{{center|Insignia of the [[Order of the Colonial Empire]]}}
|File:Terceira (1675).PNG|{{center|Colonial coat of arms of [[Terceira Island]]}}
|File:Emblem of Viriatos Volunteers.svg|{{center|Coat of arms of the [[Viriatos|Viriatos Portuguese Foreign Legion]]}}
|File:Bandeira_Lea_lSenado_Original.jpg|{{center|Flag of the Municipality of [[Portuguese Macau]]}}
|File:Bandeira da Ordem de Cristo, usada na descoberta da América (1492).gif|{{center|Variant used during the Discovery Age}}
}}

===Contemporary examples===
[[File:N.R.P. Sagres, navio-escola. Forças Armadas Marinha Portuguesa.jpg|thumb|right|N.R.P Sagres, Portuguese Navy]]
<gallery>
File:Roundel of Portugal.svg|{{center|[[Military aircraft insignia|Roundel]] of the [[Portuguese Air Force]]}}
File:Brasao ba1.png|{{center|Coat of arms of the [[Sintra Air Base]]}}
File:Bandeira da cidade de São Paulo.svg|{{center|Flag of [[São Paulo]], Brazil}}
File:Flag_of_Madeira.svg|{{center|[[Flag of Madeira|Flag of]] the [[Autonomous Region of Madeira|Region of Madeira]], Portugal}}
File:Marinha de Portugal (Command).svg|{{center|Flag of the Chief-of-Staff of the [[Portuguese Navy]]}}
File:Bandeira_Cananeia_SaoPaulo_Brasil.svg|{{center|Flag of [[Cananéia]], Brazil}}
File:Bandeiradecapim.png|{{center|Flag of [[Capim]], Brazil}}
File:4bavex.svg|{{center|Coat of arms of the [[:pt:4.º Batalhão de Aviação do Exército|4th Aviation Battalion]] of the [[Brazilian Army]]}}
File:Brasão de Armas do Comando Regional da MADEIRA da PSP.png|{{center|Coat of arms of the [[Polícia de Segurança Pública|Public Security Police]] of [[Madeira]], Portugal}}
File:Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa.png|{{center|Coat of arms of the [[Lisbon Geographic Society]]}}
File:Brasao_portoalegre_rs_brasil.svg|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Porto Alegre]], Brazil}}
File:Brasão de Alterosa - MG.svg|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Alterosa]], Brazil}}
File:BrasaoBatatais.svg|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Batatais]], Brazil}}
File:Brasão de Florianópolis.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Florianópolis]], Brazil}}
File:Brasão de Joinville.svg|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Joinville]], Brazil}}
File:Coat of arms of the Azores.svg|{{center|[[Coat of arms of the Azores]], Portugal}}
File:FZZ.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Ferreira do Zêzere]], Portugal}}
File:IDN.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Idanha-a-Nova]], Portugal}}
File:ESP-guetim.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[:pt:Guetim|Guetim]], Portugal}}
File:MGD.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Mogadouro]], Portugal}}
File:OAZ.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Oliveira de Azeméis]], Portugal}}
File:FZZ-paiomendes.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[:pt:Paio Mendes (Ferreira do Zêzere)|Paio Mendes]], Portugal}}
File:BCL-paradela.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Paradela (Barcelos)|Paradela]], Portugal}}
File:PNF.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Penafiel]], Portugal}}
File:PBL1.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Pombal, Portugal|Pombal]], Portugal}}
File:TMR.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Tomar]], Portugal}}
File:VLR.png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Vila de Rei]], Portugal}}
File:COA of Vila do Bispo municipality (Portugal).png|{{center|Coat of arms of [[Vila do Bispo Municipality|Vila do Bispo]], Portugal}}
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Portuguese heraldry]]
**[[Coat of arms of Portugal]]
**[[Armorial of Portuguese colonies]]
*[[Portuguese vexillology]]
**[[List of Portuguese flags]]
*[[Brazilian heraldry]]

==References==
{{commonscat|Order of Christ cross}}
* [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/pt_oxp.html Christ Knights' Order (Portugal)] ''Flags of the World''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Order Of Christ Cross}}
[[Category:Cross symbols]]
[[Category:Crosses in heraldry]]
[[Category:Portuguese heraldry]]