Secret Symbolism 8 - Crosses in Freemasonry

Aug 02, 2025

Secret Symbolism and Hand Signals 8 - Crosses X and Crossed Arms in Freemasonry

Introduction

This post continues the series about Secret Hand Signals, this time on crossed arms and cross symbols in Freemasonry.

There are many examples of crosses in freemasonic symbolism and ritual - crosses made by crossing the arms, legs, knees, hands and fingers as well as symbols made by crossing swords, bones and ribbons. They are in various degrees, various parts of the degree as open symbols, secret password / symbols or due guard signs.

X Symbol in the Masonic Lodge

The X is used in many contexts in freemasonry. This from Codex Magica mentions it is used in four degrees…

However on searching Richardson’s Monitor and Duncan’s Monitor several others are listed. They are divided into 3 broad categories for this article

crossed arms and variations - crossed arms, legs, knees, hands and fingers
a cross and cross symbol - Cross symbols, crossed ribbons, crossed swords
skull and crossbones

Pictures are provided where available from various freemasonic texts and the texts as pdfs are provided at the end, as are explanations / meanings of the X’s and summaries. This is a start at grouping them, there are likely to be many many more in other books about freemasonry.

Crossed Arms

Crossed Arms 1 - Super Excellent Master Crossed Arms

Crossed Arms 2 Intimate Secretary Crossed Arms, crossed swords

Crossed Arms 3 Variation Heroine of Jericho Crossed Hands

Crossed Arms 4 - Select Master’s Degree - Crossed arms

Crossed Arms 5 - Perfect Master Crossed arms

Crossed Arms 6 Grand Master of All Symbolic Lodges Crossed hands, crossed scarves

Crossed Arms 7 Knight of the Brazen Serpent - Cross arms on breast, Jewel is golden serpent on a T cross

Crossed Arms 8 Sublime Knight Crossed arms on stomach

Crossed Arms 9 - Knights of the East or Sword - Capt of Guards crosses arms, Crossed Swords over triple triangle

Crossed Arms 10 Knights Templar and Knights of Malta Crossed Arms with others

Crossed Arms 11 Sublime Knights Elected - Semi crossed arms

Crossed Arms 12 variation Grand Pontiff Crossed Fingers

Crossed Arms 12 Variation Master Elect of Nine Knees Crossed

Skull and Crossbones

Skull and Crossbones 1 Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret Crossbones and crossed swords

Skull and Crossbones 2 Knights of the East and West

Skull and Crossbones 3 Knights of Holy Sepulcre A Cross and Cross Bones

Skull and Crossbones 4 - Sovereign Prince of Rose Croix de Harodim and Knight of the Eagle and Pelican crossed arms, cross legs, skull and crossbones

Cross Symbols

Cross symbols, crossed swords, crossed ribbons

6th Degree Master of St. Andrews

Albert Pike’s book, Morals and Dogma shows the crosses of the Grand Scottish Knight of St. Andrew.

The book also shows the a crossed formed by the gavel and rule.

He suggests that this symbolises the force, the power of the people, must be regulated by the “elite”.

“The blind Force of the people is a Force that must be economized and also managed… It must be regulated by intellect”.

The symbol of the marshall is also a cross.

A Cross 1 - Knights of Kadosh A Cross, red enamelled teutonic crosses, green cross and cross swords

A Cross 2 Knights of the Red Cross - A red cross

A Cross 3 - Sovereign Commander of Temple - Teutonic crosses, teutonic golden cross, cross in laurel wreath and cross sign

A Cross 4 - Sovereign Grand Inspector General - Skull and Cross Bones, a red teutonic cross, crossed ribbon

A Cross 5 Intendant of the Building - red ribbon crossing breast

A Cross 6 Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret Crossed swords and cross bones

Swords crossed

A Cross 7 Intimate Secretary Crossed swords, crossed arms

A Cross 8 Knights of the East or Sword - Crossed swords, crossed arms

Crossed arms

A Cross 9 - Grand Master of All Symbolic Lodges Crossed scarves

A Cross 10 Knights of the East and West Cross on Black Ribbon

6th Degree Master of St Andrews [5] - This is a perhaps degree in the Swedish Rite [4] in Norway, or they may have their own Norway Rite.

This is a Scottish Rite St. Andrew Masonic Cross, Commander. Sweden, Kingdom, [6].

[6]

This looks interesting, a coat of arms associated with the Swedish rite, The person has just achieved 9th degree, [7]. Crossed swords, skull and crossbones, green cross associated with St. Andrew’s degrees, crown, axe and key?

[7]

Degrees which have Crosses

This is a list of the different degrees that crosses are displayed in, that I have found, there will be more.

Summaries

Crossed Arms and Variations Summary

1 Super Excellent Master Crossed Arms
2 Intimate Secretary Crossed Crossed Arms and Swords
3 Heroine of Jericho Crossed Hands
4 Select Master’s Degree Crossed arms
5 Perfect Master Crossed arms
6 Grand Master of All Symbolic Lodges Crossed hands, crossed scarves
7 Knight of the Brazen Serpent Cross arms on breast, Jewel is golden serpent on a T cross
8 Sublime Knight Crossed arms on stomach
9 Knights of the East or Sword Capt of Guards crosses arms, Crossed Swords over triple triangle
10 Knights Templar and Knights of Malta Crossed Arms variation with others
11 Sublime Knights Variation, Semi crossed arms
12 Grand Pontiff Crossed Variation - Crossed Fingers
13 Master Elect of Nine Knees Variation - Knees Crossed

Crosses and Cross Signs

1 Knights of Kadosh A Cross, red enamelled teutonic crosses, green cross and cross swords
2 Knights of the Red Cross A Cross
3 Sovereign Commander of Temple Teutonic crosses, teutonic golden cross, cross in laurel wreath and cross sign
4 Sovereign Grand Inspector General Skull and Cross Bones, a red teutonic cross, crossed ribbon
5 Intendant of the Building red ribbon crossing breast
6 Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret Crossed swords and cross bones
7 Intimate Secretary Crossed swords, crossed arms
8 Knights of the East or Sword Crossed Swords, crossed arms
9 Grand Master of All Symbolic Lodges Crossed scarves
10 Knights of the East and West Cross on Black Ribbon

Skull and Crossbones

In the following degrees there are skull and crossbones

1 Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret Crossbones and crossed swords
2 Knights of the East and West Cross Bones
3 Knights of Holy Sepulcre A Cross and Cross Bones
4 Sovereign Prince of Rose Croix de Harodim and Knight of the Eagle and Pelican cross arms, cross legs, crossbones

Various crosses etc in Swedish Rite

X Meanings

Many of these meanings for the X symbol in freemasonry are from Bibliotecapleyades Codex Magica [1].

X as Symbol of Transformation

An ancient symbol for transformation says Jim Tresner of the Scottish Rite Journal.

Tresner explains the symbol as representing the number ten, and the Jewish Cabala’s Tree of Life, the Sephiroth. Two cordons cross each other one black one white, suggesting the union of opposites or equilibium, and transformation. Tresner believes it is to wage war upon Christians.

X as a Sign of Osiris

Texe Marrs, says that the X is a sign of Osiris, the sun god.

Ancient pharoahs, when buried, had their legs crossed in the form of an X as a sign of devotion to Osiris. X as a sign of devotion to Osiris X and the symbol of cross bones was very prominent in Egpytian religious contexts.

X as Sex and X as Antichrist

In ancient India the X symbol was a ssociated with the phallus and is porbably another reason the freemasons adopted this symbol. Barbara Walker says that the Cross Saltire is tumbling cross. This has antichrist connotations.

X as a sign of death.

The arms are crossed over the breast, left above the right

Codex Magica by Texe Marrs

Bibliotecapleyades Codex Magica X [1]

Previous Posts in Secret Hand Signals Series

Secret Hand Signals 1 - The Masonic M [fb32490]
Secret Hand Signals 2 - The 666 Hand Sign [fb32492]
Secret Hand Signals 3 - 666 Vesica Piscis Symbol [fb32501]
Secret Hand Signals 4 - Hand on Chin [fb32509]
Secret Hand Signals 5 - Osiris Risen, X Part 1 [fb32514]
Secret Hand Signals 6 - Osiris Risen X Part 2 Explanation and History of Crossed Arms [fb32524]
Secret Hand Signals 7 - X Symbols [fb32529]

Freemasonry Book Pdfs

Duncan's Masonic Ritual And Monitor Of Freemasonry Complete 1866 3rd Ed

3.69MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Richardson's Monitor Searchable

20.2MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Richardson Richardson's Monitor Of Freemasonry 1860

12.5MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Freemasonry1916

38.5MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Fellows J The Mysteries Of Freemasonry 1860

22.4MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Structure of York and Scottish Rite Freemasonry

Previous Posts in Secret Symbolism and Hand Signals Series

Secret Hand Signals 1 - The Masonic M [fb32490]
Secret Hand Signals 2 - The 666 Hand Sign [fb32492]
Secret Hand Signals 3 - 666 Vesica Piscis Symbol [fb32501]
Secret Hand Signals 4 - Hand on Chin [fb32509]
Secret Hand Signals 5 - Osiris Risen, X Part 1 [fb32514]
Secret Hand Signals 6 - Osiris Risen X Part 2 Explanation and History of Crossed Arms [fb32524]
Secret Hand Signals 7 - X Symbols [fb32529]

Links

[1] Bibliotecapleyades Codex Magica X Chapter 11 https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/codex_magica/codex_magica11.htm

[2] https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/codex_magica/codex_magica13.htm

[3] https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/sociopol_brotherhoodss01e.htm

[4] https://www.masonrytoday.com/index.php?new_month=1&new_day=28&new_year=2020

[5] https://themagpiemason.blogspot.com/2008/11/its-saint-andrews-day.html

[6] https://web.archive.org/web/20250729113427/https://www.emedals.com/products/sweden-kingdom-a-scottish-rite-st-andrew-masonic-cross-commander-eu22054

[7] https://www.myfreemasonry.com/threads/swedish-rite.24673/

[8] Masonic Supply Shop https://www.masonicsupplyshop.com/

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