Inverted cross

File:Peter's Cross.svg

An inverted cross

The inverted cross (𐕣), also known as the upside-down cross, is a symbol that has been used in both Christian and anti-Christian contexts. Historically, it is most commonly associated with Saint Peter, who, according to tradition, was crucified upside down and for whom the symbol represents humility and martyrdom. In the modern era, the inverted Latin cross has also been adopted in anti-Christian and Satanic symbolism to signify opposition to Christianity.

Christian symbolism

The inverted cross is traditionally known as the Cross of Saint Peter, Crux Inversa, or Petrine Cross. According to Christian tradition, Saint Peter was crucified upside down, as he did not consider himself worthy to die in the same manner as Jesus. As a result, the symbol has been used in Christian iconography, particularly within the Catholic Church, as a symbol of humility.

Anti-Christian use

In the 19th and 20th centuries, some anti-Christian groups, occult traditions, and Satanic movements repurposed the inverted cross as a symbol of defiance against Christianity. Unlike its use in Christian tradition, here it is meant to invert or subvert Christian teachings. The inverted cross is a recurring motif in metal music, particularly black metal, in congruity with its anti-Christian themes.

In literature

Joris-Karl Huysmans' novel Là-bas (1891) describes a Black Mass where participants wear vestments with inverted crosses. The character 'Docteur Johannès' was based on the 19th-century French mystic Eugène Vintras (1807–1875), who incorporated the Petrine Cross into his vestments, particularly on his stole, as part of his movement's esoteric Christian symbolism.

The Inverted Cross (La Cruz Invertida) by Argentine writer Marcos Aguinis (1970) is a political and social novel set in an unnamed Latin American country, exploring themes of upheaval, identity, and dictatorship. It critically examines human contradictions and the continent's struggles for unity.

In popular culture

Many horror films use inverted crosses as part of their imagery and marketing, especially if the film involves demonic themes. Examples include The Amityville Horror, The Conjuring, Paranormal Activity, and 28 Years Later. At the end of Rosemary's Baby, an upside down cross hangs over the bassinet containing Satan's son.

Glen Benton of the band Deicide branded an inverted cross onto his forehead.

Former Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward suggested that the use of an inverted cross on the inner gatefold sleeve of their debut album by their label Vertigo may have been a promotional ploy or a misunderstanding of the nature of the group.

Then-indie hip hop artist Tyler, the Creator drew the cross on his forehead for his portrait in the deluxe album cover for his 2011 album Goblin. Similarly, experimental trap artist Playboi Carti utilized the upside down cross for his 2020 album Whole Lotta Red. On the cover, Carti is depicted wearing an inverted crucifix pendant. This piece of jewelry has remained a staple with his outfits, and his fellow Opium signee Ken Carson has inserted the iconography into the cover for his 2023 album A Great Chaos.

References

Works cited

• Chisholm, A. R. (1979). Towards Hérodiade: A Literary Genealogy. AMS Press. ISBN 978-0404163105.
• Fletcher, K. F. B.; Umurhan, Osman, eds. (2019). Classical Antiquity in Heavy Metal Music. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1350075375.
• Pick, Bernhard (1909). "Martyrdom of the Holy Apostle Peter". The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas. Chicago: The Open Court Publishing Co. pp. 106–122. ISBN 9780837019123. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
• Rest, Friedrich (1954). Our Christian Symbols. Christian Education Press. ISBN 0-8298-0099-9. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
• Sauerländer, W.; Rubens, P. P. (2014). The Catholic Rubens: Saints and Martyrs. Getty Research Institute. ISBN 978-1606062685.
• Van Luijk, R. (2016). Children of Lucifer: The Origins of Modern Religious Satanism. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0190275112.
• Vile, J. R. (2024). The Christian Cross in American Public Life: An Encyclopedia. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 978-1527572188.
• Wiggins, S. A. (2018). Holy Horror: The Bible and Fear in Movies. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-7466-7.
• Williams, R. L. (2007). The Columbia Guide to the Latin American Novel Since 1945. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0231501699.
• Ziegler, R. (2012). Satanism, Magic and Mysticism in Fin-de-siècle France. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1137006615.

Further reading

• Magee, R. M. (2016). The Haunted Muse: Gothic and Sentiment in American Literature. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 978-1443892803.
• Reagan, P. E. (2016). Deconstructing Paradise: Inverted Religious Symbolism in Twentieth-Century Latin American Literature. Lexington Books. ISBN 978-1498524728.