A cross pattée or cross patty (, ), also known as a cross formée or cross formy, or even a

Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a military order of the Catholic faith, and one of the most important military orders in Western Christianity. They were founded in 11 ...

cross, is a type of

Christian cross The Christian cross, seen as representing the crucifixion of Jesus, is a religious symbol, symbol of Christianity. It is related to the crucifix, a cross that includes a ''corpus'' (a representation of Jesus' body, usually three-dimensional) a ...

with arms that are narrow at the centre and often flared in a curve or straight line shape to be broader at the perimeter. The form appears very early in medieval art, for example, in a metalwork

treasure binding A treasure binding or jewelled bookbinding is a luxurious book cover using metalwork in gold or silver, jewels, or ivory, perhaps in addition to more usual bookbinding material for book covers such as leather, velvet, or other cloth. The actu ...

given to Monza Cathedral by Lombard queen Theodelinda (died 628) and the 8th-century lower cover of the Lindau Gospels in the Morgan Library. An early English example from the start of the age of heraldry proper (i.e., about 1200) is found in the arms of Baron Berkeley.

Etymology

The word ''pattée'' is a French adjective in the feminine form used in its full context as ''la croix pattée'', meaning literally "

foot The foot (: feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is an organ at the terminal part of the leg made up o ...

cross A cross is a religious symbol consisting of two Intersection (set theory), intersecting Line (geometry), lines, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of t ...

", from the noun ''patte'', meaning literally

, generally that of an

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Biology, biological Kingdom (biology), kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, ...

. The cross has four splayed feet, each akin to the foot, for example, of a

chalice A chalice (from Latin 'cup', taken from the Ancient Greek () 'cup') is a drinking cup raised on a stem with a foot or base. Although it is a technical archaeological term, in modern parlance the word is now used almost exclusively for the ...

or candelabrum. In German it is called ''Tatzenkreuz'' from ''Tatze'', foot, paw. Planché provides a dubious suggestion that the term comes from the Latin verb ''pateo'', to lie open, be spread. He states it to be discernible on the standard of King Stephen (1135–1154).

Variants

Several variants exist as follows:

Use in crowns

Many crowns worn by

monarch A monarch () is a head of stateWebster's II New College Dictionary. "Monarch". Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest ...

s have jewelled crosses pattées mounted atop the band. Most crowns possess at least four such crosses, from which the half arches rise. Some crowns are designed so that the half-arches can be detached, allowing the circlet to be worn separately on occasion. A cross ''pattée'' is particularly associated with crowns in Christian countries. It is often heavily jewelled, with diamonds and precious stones. The Koh-i-Noor diamond is set in a cross pattée on the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The British

Imperial State Crown The Imperial State Crown is the state crown of the British monarch. Based on the design of Queen Victoria's Crown of 1838, which had fallen into disrepair, it was made in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI. The crown remains in use today ...

has a base of four crosses pattée alternating with four fleurs-de-lis. A cross ''pattée'' on the Imperial State Crown holds the

Black Prince's Ruby The Black Prince's Ruby is a large, irregular cabochon red spinel weighing set in the cross pattée above the Cullinan II diamond at the front of the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom. The spinel is one of the oldest gems in the Cr ...

. The cross pattée also features in many of the other British Crowns including the

St Edward's Crown St Edward's Crown is the coronation crown of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, versions of it have traditionally been used to crown English and British monarchs at their coronations since the 13t ...

, used for coronations, and the Imperial Crown of India created for

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

Emperor of India Emperor (or Empress) of India was a title used by British monarchs from 1 May 1876 (with the Royal Titles Act 1876) to 22 June 1948 Royal Proclamation of 22 June 1948, made in accordance with thIndian Independence Act 1947, 10 & 11 GEO. 6. CH ...

to wear at the Delhi Durbar of 1911.

Use by Crusaders, Prussia, and Germany

Teutonic Knights

This cross is often associated with the

Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...

. The heraldic cross pattée was sometimes used by the

Teutonic Knights The Teutonic Order is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem was formed to aid Christians on their pilgrimages to t ...

, a Crusader order, though their more usual emblem was a plain straight black cross on white field.. File:Crux Ordis Teutonicorum.svg, Emblem of the

Teutonic Order The Teutonic Order is a religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious institution founded as a military order (religious society), military society in Acre, Israel, Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Sa ...

Iron Cross

In 1813, King Frederick William III of

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

established the

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

as a decoration for military valor, and it remained in use, in various forms, by Prussia and later

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

until 1945. A stylized version of the Iron Cross is used to date by the German military (

Bundeswehr The (, ''Federal Defence'') are the armed forces of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. The is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part consists of the four armed forces: Germ ...

) as its symbol of nationality, and is found on vehicles, aircraft and publications. Prussian and Imperial German ''Landwehr'' and ''Landsturm'' troops used a Cross Pattée cap badge to distinguish them from regular army troops. A stylized version of the Cross Pattée is used by the modern German military as its symbol of nationality, and is found on vehicles, aircraft and publications, with no border of any kind at the ends of each arm (as was the case with the ''

Balkenkreuz The ''Balkenkreuz'' () is a straight-armed cross that was first introduced in 1916–1918 and later became the emblem of the ''Wehrmacht'' (German Armed Forces) and its branches from 1935 until the end of World War II. It was used by the '' Wehr ...

'' used on German aircraft in 1918-1945). File:EK II 1914.jpg, German Iron Cross,

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

File:Bundeswehr Kreuz.svg, Modern

emblem

Modern usage

Belarus

The cross pattée is adopted in several municipal coats of arms of

Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...

. File:Coat of Arms of Kličaŭ, Belarus.svg, Coat of arms of Klichaw File:Coat of Arms of Kruhłaje, Belarus.png, Coat of arms of Kruhlaye File:Coat of Arms of Kryčaŭ, Belarus.svg, Coat of arms of Krychaw File:Coat of Arms of Vorsza, Belarus.svg, Coat of arms of

Orsha Orsha (; , ; ) is a city in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It is situated on the fork of the Dnieper, Dnieper River and Arshytsa River, and it serves as the administrative center of Orsha District. As of 2025, it has a population of 101,662. History ...

Canada

The cross pattée, a traditional Royal symbol in Canada, has been incorporated into official

national symbols A national symbol is a manifestation of a nation or community, serving as a representation of their National identity, identity and values. National symbols may be not only applied to sovereign states but also nations and countries in a state of ...

, provincial symbols and the insignia of various

national armed forces National Armed Forces (; NSZ) was a Polish right-wing underground military organization of the National Democracy (Poland), National Democracy operating from 1942. During World War II, NSZ troops fought against Nazi Germany and Gwardia Ludowa, c ...

. The

Arms of Canada The coat of arms of Canada, also known as the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada or, formally, as the Arms of His Majesty The King in Right of Canada is the arms of dominion of the Canadian monarch and, thus, also the official coat of arms of Ca ...

, numerous provincial coat of arms and the badges of the Canadian Forces feature

; that displays four cross pattée and four

fleur-de-lys The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' ...

, supporting two dipped arches topped by a monde and another cross pattée. Numerous

orders, decorations, and medals of Canada The orders, decorations, and medals of Canada comprise a complex system by which Canadians are honoured by the Monarchy of Canada, country's sovereign for actions or deeds that benefit their community or the country at large. Modelled on its Or ...

are designed with a cross pattée, including the nation's highest civilian honour, the

Order of Merit The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...

and the

Victoria Cross of Canada Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

the highest military honour that is derived from that of the British original

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

. File:Coat of Arms of Canada (1957).png, link=Arms of Canada, Arms of Canada (1957 rendition) File:Coat of arms of Quebec.svg, link= Coat of arms of Québec, Coat of arms of Québec File:Canadian Forces emblem.svg, link=Canadian Forces, Badge of the Canadian Forces File:Order of Merit Dorothy Hodgkin (cropped).jpg, link=Order of Merit, Order of Merit

France

The cross pattée can be found on coats of arms of various French communes. File:Blason ville fr Ambacourt (Vosges).svg, Coat of arms of Ambacourt File:Blason ville fr Damouzy (Ardennes).svg, Coat of arms of Damouzy File:Blason ville fr Fontaine-lès-Luxeuil 70.svg, Coat of arms of Fontaine-lès-Luxeuil File:Blason ville fr Fontaines-Saint-Martin (Rhône).svg, Coat of arms of Fontaines-Saint-Martin File:Blason de la ville de Saint-Gondon (Loiret).svg, Coat of arms of Saint-Gondon

Georgia

The Bolnisi cross ( ka, ბოლნისის ჯვარი ') is a cross symbol, taken from a 5th-century ornament at the Bolnisi Sioni church, which came to be used as one of the oldest national symbol of Georgia. It was used on the flags and coat of arms of the

Kingdom of Georgia The Kingdom of Georgia (), also known as the Georgian Empire, was a Middle Ages, medieval Eurasian monarchy that was founded in Anno Domini, AD. It reached Georgian Golden Age, its Golden Age of political and economic strength during the reign ...

and the current Republic of Georgia, with its various organizations and administrative divisions. File:Bolnisi Sioni - Georgian inscription.JPG,

Bolnisi Sioni Bolnisi Sioni ( ka, ბოლნისის სიონი) or Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral is a Georgian Orthodox basilica in the Bolnisi village of Bolnisi District, Georgia. The cathedral was built in 478–493. It is the oldest extant churc ...

inscriptions. Oldest Georgian inscription that uses the Asomtavruli script, predating the modern Mkhedruli script, inside Georgia. File:Flag of Georgia.svg, Flag of Georgia File:Greater coat of arms of Georgia.svg, Coat of arms of Georgia File:DFG small Emblem green.png, Roundel of the

Georgian Defense Forces The Defence Forces of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალები, tr), or Georgian Defence Forces (GDF), are the combined military forces of Georgia, tasked with the defence of the nation's indep ...

File:Bolnisi COA.svg, Coat of arms of the city of

Bolnisi Bolnisi ( ka, ბოლნისი) is a city in the country of Georgia (country), Georgia, located in the Kvemo Kartli region and capital of the Bolnisi district. It currently has an estimated 8,348 (January 1, 2024) inhabitants. History Boln ...

Latvia

File:Schwarzhäupter 09.jpg, Coat of arms of the Brotherhood of Blackheads shown in the House of the Blackheads, Riga File:Coat of Arms of Riga small.svg, Coat of arms of Riga File:LVA Ventspils COA.svg, Coat of arms of

Ventspils Ventspils () is a state city in northwestern Latvia in the historical Courland region of Latvia, and is the sixth largest city in the country. At the beginning of 2020, Ventspils had a population of 33,906. It is situated on the Venta River and ...

Montenegro

The Montenegrin cross-flag ('' Krstaš-barjak'') has been used in

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

since medieval times to represent the

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

, and lately its military divisions. Use of this flag was first recorded in 1687. During the 1990s, it was used as a symbol of Montenegrin independence movement, most notably by the Liberal Alliance of Montenegro. Nowadays, Montenegro's Royal Capital City

Cetinje Cetinje ( cnr-Cyrl, Цетиње, ) is a List of cities and towns in Montenegro, town in Montenegro. It is the former royal capital ( cnr-Latn-Cyrl, prijestonica, приjестоница, separator=" / ") of Montenegro and is the location of sev ...

uses ''krstaš'' flag as its flag. It is also used as an unofficial alternate Montenegrin flag, as well as by local trademarks and societies related to Montenegro. File:Flag of the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro2.svg, Flag of the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro File:Vucji Do flag.svg, Montenegrin flag used in the Battle of Vučji Do. The Н.I. initials indicate Prince Nicholas I. One of the most important historical Montenegrin flags. File:Flag_of_Cetinje.svg, Flag of Old Royal Capital Cetinje File:Niksic Coat-of-Arms.svg, Coat of arms of

Nikšić Municipality Nikšić (Serbo-Croatian: Opština Nikšić / Општина Никшић) is one of the municipalities of Montenegro. The municipality is located in the central and northwestern region of Montenegro. The administrative centre of the municipality ...

File:Roundel_of_Montenegro.svg, Modern

Montenegrin Air Force The Montenegrin Air Force (; ''V i PVO'') is the air force, air arm of the Military of Montenegro. The aircraft marking of the Montenegrin Air Force consist of a red-on-gold roundel, currently being the sole air arm using the latter colour in its ...

roundel File:Montenegrin_Police_Special_Counter-Terrorist_Unit_Insignia.png, Montenegrin Police Special Counter-Terrorist Unit Insignia File:Flag of Montenegrins in Serbia.svg, Flag of

Montenegrins of Serbia Montenegrins of Serbia ( Serbian and Montenegrin: Црногорци у Србији, romanized: ''Crnogorci u Srbiji'') are a recognized national minority in Serbia. According to the 2022 census, the population of ethnic Montenegrins in Serbia ...

File:Řád_knížete_Danila_I.jpg, Order of Prince Danilo I

Poland

File:POL województwo podkarpackie COA.svg, Coat of arms of

Podkarpackie Voivodeship Subcarpathian Voivodeship is a voivodeship, or province, in the southeastern corner of Poland. Its administrative capital and largest city is Rzeszów. Along with the Marshal, it is governed by the Subcarpathian Regional Assembly. The name deriv ...

File:POL Przemyśl COA.svg, Coat of arms of

Przemyśl Przemyśl () is a city in southeastern Poland with 56,466 inhabitants, as of December 2023. Data for territorial unit 1862000. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Subcarpathian Voivodeship. It was previously the capital of Prz ...

File:POL Rzeszów COA.svg, Coat of arms of

Rzeszów Rzeszów ( , ) is the largest city in southeastern Poland. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River in the heartland of the Sandomierz Basin. Rzeszów is the capital of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship and the county seat, seat of Rzeszów C ...

File:POL Skierniewice COA.svg, Coat of arms of Skierniewice

Portugal

The Portuguese heraldry makes a very common use of three variants of the cross pattée, the standard form (also as a variant of the

Maltese cross The Maltese cross is a cross symbol, consisting of four " V" or arrowhead shaped concave quadrilaterals converging at a central vertex at right angles, two tips pointing outward symmetrically. It is a heraldic cross variant which develope ...

proper, associated with the

Knights Hospitaller The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic military order. It was founded in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century and had headquarters there ...

), the Alisee form (associated with the

Knights Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...

) and the Order of Christ cross (associated with this order of chivalry and also used as one of the main national symbols of Portugal). These crosses are often present on the arms of the municipalities located in former domains of these orders. File:PFR1.png, Coat of arms of Paços de Ferreira File:Coat of arms of Madeira.svg, Coat of arms of

Madeira Madeira ( ; ), officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (), is an autonomous Regions of Portugal, autonomous region of Portugal. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under north of ...

File:Roundel of Portugal.svg, Roundel of the

Portuguese Air Force The Portuguese Air Force () is the air force, aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese ...

File:Portuguese_Football_Federation.svg A Seleção (The Selection)

Russia

The cross pattée is adopted by Russian Border Service, it is also found on coats of arms of some Russian regions. File:Russian Federation. Emblem of the Border Guard Service of the Federal Security Service.svg, Emblem of the Border Service File:Coat of arms of Kaliningrad.svg, Coat of arms of Kaliningrad File:Coat of arms of Kirov Region.svg, Coat of arms of

Kirov Oblast Kirov Oblast ( rus, Кировская область, p=ˈkʲirəfskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast) located in Eastern Europe. Its administrative center is the city of Kirov. As of the 2010 census, the population ...

File:Coat of Arms of Perm Krai.svg, Coat of Arms of

Perm Krai Perm Krai (, ; ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a Krais of Russia, krai), located in Eastern Europe. Its administrative center is Perm, Russia, Perm. The population of the krai was 2,532,405 (2021 Russian census, 2021 ...

File:Coat of Arms of Borisovka (Belgorod oblast).svg, Coat of arms of Borisovka, Belgorod Oblast The ''cross alisée'' version of the cross pattée, with rounded edges, has been used in Russia since the 19th century. This cross shape was used in the badges of the '' Narodnoe Opolcheniye'', during the

Patriotic War of 1812 The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian campaign (), the Second Polish War, and in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812 (), was initiated by Napoleon with the aim of compelling the Russian Empire to comply with the continent ...

and the

Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...

as well as the . Although it was not used for decorations before, in the modern-day

Russian Federation Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

, the ''cross alisée'' was adopted for the Order of Courage, as well as for other emblems such as the logo of the

Wagner Group The Wagner Group (), officially known as PMC Wagner (, ), is a Russian state-funded private military company (PMC) controlled 2023 Wagner Group plane crash, until 2023 by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a former close ally of Russia's president Vladimir Pu ...

. File:1903-MilitarySymbol-Russia.png, '' Narodnoe Opolcheniye'' badge, 1903 version File:Order of Valour (rus).jpg, Order of Courage File:Medal "For Bravery" 1st Сlass (Russia).png, File:Life_Saving_Medal.jpg, Medal "For Life Saving"

Spain

File:Coat of Arms of El Bierzo.svg, Coat of arms of

El Bierzo El Bierzo (; or ''El Bierzu''; ) is a '' comarca'' in the province of León, Spain. Its capital is the town of Ponferrada. Other major towns are Bembibre and Villafranca del Bierzo, the historical capital. The territory of El Bierzo inclu ...

File:Coat of Arms of Mondoñedo.svg, Coat of arms of Mondoñedo File:Escudo de Morcín.svg, Coat of arms of Morcín File:Escudo de Oviedo.svg, Coat of arms of

Oviedo Oviedo () or Uviéu (Asturian language, Asturian: ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains th ...

File:Escut del Priorat.svg, Coat of arms of Priorat File:Coat of Arms of Sabiñánigo.svg, Coat of arms of

Sabiñánigo Sabiñánigo (''Samianigo'' in Aragonese) is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragón, Spain, capital of the comarca of Alto Gállego. Formerly, the region was called Serrablo, hence the demonym "serrablese". Sabiñánigo is ...

File:Coat of Arms of Sitges.svg, Coat of arms of

Sitges ; , ) is a town about 35 kilometres southwest of Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain, renowned worldwide for Sitges Film Festival, its film festival, Carnival, and LGBTQ culture. Located between the Garraf Massif and the Mediterranean Sea, it is know ...

File:Coat of Arms of Villafáfila.svg, Coat of arms of Villafáfila

Sweden

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

, the term " Saint George's Cross" sometimes refers to the cross pattée used by Swedish Freemasons. For example, the cross of the Swedish Order of Freemasons was defined by the

King of Sweden The monarchy of Sweden is centred on the monarchical head of state of Sweden,See the #IOG, Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 5. by law a constitutional monarchy, constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system.Parl ...

in 1928 to be a "red St George's cross with triangular arms". . File:Frimurarflagga.svg, Flag of the Swedish Order of Freemasons File:Svenska Frimurar Orden vapen.svg, Coat of arms of the Swedish Order of Freemasons

Ukraine

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

, the " cossack cross" was used historically in banners by

cossack The Cossacks are a predominantly East Slavic Eastern Christian people originating in the Pontic–Caspian steppe of eastern Ukraine and southern Russia. Cossacks played an important role in defending the southern borders of Ukraine and Rus ...

s, installed on their graves, and nowadays part of emblems of a number of Ukrainian state bodies connected with security, including the

Armed Forces of Ukraine The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are the Military, military forces of Ukraine. All military and security forces, including the Armed Forces, are under the command of the president of Ukraine and subject to oversight by a permanent Verkhovna Rad ...

Military

File:Flag of the Zaporizhian Sich.svg, link=, Flag of the Zaporizhian Sich (16th-18th century) and Danubian Sich (17th-18th century) File:Myrhorod polk.svg, link=, Coat of arms of the Myrhorod regiment of the

Cossack Hetmanate The Cossack Hetmanate (; Cossack Hetmanate#Name, see other names), officially the Zaporozhian Host (; ), was a Ukrainian Cossacks, Cossack state. Its territory was located mostly in central Ukraine, as well as in parts of Belarus and southwest ...

(1625-1782) File:Borzna polk.svg, link=, Coat of arms of the Borzna regiment of the

(1648-1649) File:Ichnia polk.svg, link=, Coat of arms of the Ichnia regiment of the

(1648-1649) File:Braclav polk.svg, link=, Coat of arms of the Braclav regiment of the

(1648-1667) File:Kropyvna polk.svg, link=, Coat of arms of the Kropyvna regiment of the

(1649-1658) File:Zinkiv polk.svg, link=, Coat of arms of the Zinkiv regiment of the

(1671-1782) File:Bohuslav polk.svg, link=, Coat of arms of the Bohuslav regiment of the

(1685-1712) File:Alex K Kozaks flags 1651-00.svg, link=, Cossack flags preserved from the time of the

Khmelnytsky uprising The Khmelnytsky Uprising, also known as the Cossack–Polish War, Khmelnytsky insurrection, or the National Liberation War, was a Cossack uprisings, Cossack rebellion that took place between 1648 and 1657 in the eastern territories of the Poli ...

(1651) File:Прапор Харківського полку.jpg, link=, flag of the Kharkiv regiment of the Sloboda Cossacks (1651 – 1765) File:Izyum Regiment per Smolenskyi.svg, link=, flag of the Izium regiment of the Sloboda Cossacks (1688 – 1765) File:Alex K Chornomorske Kozacke Viysko.svg, link=, Flags and banners of the Black Sea Cossacks: 1) military banner of 1788; 2) banner of 1803, given by Alexander I; 3) kurin badges of 1788, donated by

Catherine II Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter III ...

) File:Yakiv Kuxarenko.jpg, link=, Portrait of the Otaman Yakiv Kukharenko featuring Black Sea Cossack banners File:Emblem of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.svg, Emblem of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine File:General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.svg, Emblem of the

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, Enlisted rank, enlisted, and civilian staff who serve the commanding officer, commander of a ...

File:Emblem of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.svg, Emblem of the Defence Intelligence File:Emblem of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.svg, Emblem of the

Ukrainian Armed Forces The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are the Military, military forces of Ukraine. All military and security forces, including the Armed Forces, are under the command of the president of Ukraine and subject to oversight by a permanent Verkhovna Rad ...

File:Emblem of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.svg, Emblem of the Ukrainian Ground Forces File:Emblem of the Ukrainian Navy.svg, Emblem of the

Ukrainian Navy The Ukrainian Navy (), is the Navy, maritime force of Ukraine and one of the eight Military branch, service branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The naval forces consist of five components: surface forces, submarine forces, Ukrainian Naval ...

File:Emblem of the Ukrainian Air Force.svg, Emblem of the Ukrainian Air Force File:Emblem of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.svg, Emblem of the State Border Guard Service File:Security Service of Ukraine Emblem.svg, Emblem of the Security Service of Ukraine

Volhynia

File:Alex Volhynia.svg, Coat of arms of the Volhynian Duchy (Principality) File:Principality of Volyn.png, Coat of arms of Volhynia with the Muscovite Monomakh's Cap File:POL województwo wołyńskie IRP COA.svg, Volhynian Voivodeship in the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...

File:Novohrad-Volynskyi coat of arms (1796).gif, Coat of arms of the Russian Volhynian Vice-royalty (Namestnichestvo) File:COA of Volin gubernia.png, Coat of arms of

Volhynian Governorate Volhynia Governorate, also known as Volyn Governorate, was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Southwestern Krai of the Russian Empire. It consisted of an area of and a population of 2,989,482 inhabitants. The governorate ...

File:POL województwo wołyńskie II RP COA.svg, Volhynian Voivodeship in Poland (1920-1939) File:Coat of Arms of Rivne Oblast.svg, Coat of arms of

Rivne Oblast Rivne Oblast (), also referred to as Rivnenshchyna (), is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast in western Ukraine. Its administrative center is Rivne. The surface area of the region is . Its population is: Before its annexation by the ...

File:Coat of Arms of Zhytomyr Oblast.svg, Coat of arms of

Zhytomyr Oblast Zhytomyr Oblast (), also referred to as Zhytomyrshchyna (), is an Administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) in northwestern Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Zhytomyr. Its population is approximately H ...

Eastern Podolia

File:POL województwo bracławskie IRP COA.svg, Braclaw Voivodeship File:Coat of Arms of Vinnytsa Oblast.svg,

Vinnytsia Oblast Vinnytsia Oblast (, ), also referred to as Vinnychchyna (), is an oblasts of Ukraine, oblast in central Ukraine. Its capital city, administrative center is Vinnytsia. The oblast has a population of History Vinnytsia Oblast, first established on ...

Poltava (Myrhorod ossackCross)

File:Flag of Poltava Oblast.svg, Flag of Poltava Oblast File:UKR Mirgorod COA.svg, Myrhorod city File:Coat of Arms of Poltava Oblast.svg,

Poltava Oblast Poltava Oblast (), also referred to as Poltavshchyna (), is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) of central Ukraine. The capital city, administrative center of the oblast is the city of Poltava. Most of its territory was par ...

United Kingdom

University of Durham

File:Durham shield.png, Coat of arms of the

University of Durham Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charter in 1837. It was the first recognised university to ...

File:Durham - St Marys arms.png, Coat of arms of

St Mary's College, Durham St Mary’s College is a Colleges of Durham University, constituent college of Durham University. It is located mainly on Elvet, Elvet Hill to the South of the city centre, becoming the first of Durham’s “Colleges of the University of Durha ...

File:Durham - St Johns arms.png, Coat of arms of

St John's College, Durham St John's College is one of the Colleges of Durham University#Types of College, recognised colleges of Durham University. The college was established in 1909 as a Church of England theological college and became a full constituent college of th ...

File:Durham - Ustinov arms.png, Coat of arms of Ustinov College, Durham File:College of St Hild, Durham.svg, Coat of arms of the former College of St Hild, Durham File:College of St Hild & St Bede, Durham.svg, Coat of arms of the College of SS Hild and Bede, Durham File:John Snow College, Durham.svg, Coat of arms of John Snow College, Durham File:Arms of South College, Durham.svg, Coat of arms of South College, Durham

United States

File:Southern Cross of Honor presented to Capt. William M. Miller, C.S.A.jpg, Southern Cross of Honor, used to honor Confederate Veterans

Other uses

The cross pattée is also placed before the name of the bishop who issues a Catholic

imprimatur An imprimatur (sometimes abbreviated as ''impr.'', from Latin, "let it be printed") is a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement. The imprimatur rule in the Catho ...

, and is occasionally found as a map symbol indicating the location of a Christian site. It appears in the insignia of: * The * * The * * * * The * The * * * * The * * * The * * * The * The * The * The * The * The * * The

Firefighter A firefighter (or fire fighter or fireman) is a first responder trained in specific emergency response such as firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires and respond to emergencies such as hazardous material incidents, medical in ...

s, especially in the United States, often use a triangular-armed version for badges and medals, although the cross pattée and the cross of

Saint Florian Florian (; AD 250 – 304) was a Christian holy man and the patron saint of chimney sweeps; soapmakers, and firefighters. His feast day is 4 May. Florian is also the patron saint of Poland, the city of Linz, Austria, and Upper Austria, jointl ...

are both commonly misteken for the

. The cross pattée is also used on the marksmanship badges of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

and Marine Corps.

Encoding

Unicode Unicode or ''The Unicode Standard'' or TUS is a character encoding standard maintained by the Unicode Consortium designed to support the use of text in all of the world's writing systems that can be digitized. Version 16.0 defines 154,998 Char ...

, a cross pattée character is encoded under the name "

" in the Dingbats range at code point U+2720 (✠). The character "X" is rendered as a cross pattée in the Microsoft

Wingdings Wingdings is a series of dingbat typeface, fonts that render letters as a variety of symbols. They were originally developed in 1990 by Microsoft by combining glyphs from Lucida (font), Lucida Icons, Arrows, and Stars licensed from Charles Bige ...

font.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross pattee 7th-century establishments in Europe Christian crosses Pattee Frederick William III of Prussia Knights Templar