Cross Pattée: Meaning of the Templar Symbol

The cross pattée is today one of the cross shapes most strongly associated with the world of the Templars. With its four arms widening towards their ends, it appears on seals, medieval depictions, coats of arms, and numerous contemporary creations inspired by the Order of the Temple.

However, the cross pattée was not invented by the Templars, and it never belonged exclusively to their Order. Pattée-style shapes already existed in Christian art several centuries before the birth of the Temple in the 12th century.

On the other hand, medieval documents clearly show that this shape of cross was present in the Templar environment. A seal dated 1251, preserved and documented by the Sigilla database, thus depicts a shield bearing a cross pattée fitchy.

What exactly is a cross pattée? What is its origin? Was it actually worn by the Templars? And what is the difference between a cross pattée, a Templar cross, a Maltese cross, and a Jerusalem cross?

What is a cross pattée?

A cross pattée is a form of cross whose four arms gradually widen towards their extremities.

The word "pattée" (from the French *patte*, or paw) refers to this characteristic flaring. Unlike a classic Latin cross, whose branches generally maintain a relatively constant width, the arms of a cross pattée start from a narrower center to become wider towards the outside.

There is, however, no single, immutable geometry for the cross pattée. Depending on the era and the representation, the arms can be:

• more or less flared;
• straight or slightly curved;
• finished with flat or more rounded ends;
• inscribed in a very compact or, conversely, more elongated shape.

The term therefore describes above all a family of shapes, and not a single design comparable to a perfectly standardized modern logo.

What is the origin of the cross pattée?

The cross pattée predates the Order of the Temple by a long time.

Cross shapes with flared arms appeared in Christian art several centuries before the Crusades. A particularly interesting example is documented in Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges: an altar table attributed to the 5th or 6th century notably features a Greek cross pattée.

This means that when the Order of the Temple appeared at the beginning of the 12th century, the cross pattée already belonged to an ancient Christian symbolic vocabulary.

The Templars therefore did not create this shape. They were part of a world where different crosses were already used on:

• religious monuments;
• manuscripts;
• liturgical objects;
• seals;
• coins;
• coats of arms.

What is the meaning of the cross pattée?

There is no universal, single meaning of the cross pattée valid for all periods and all users.

Its meaning depends essentially on the context in which it appears.

In a Christian religious context, it remains above all a form of Christian cross. It therefore refers to Christ and the Christian faith.

In a heraldic context, it can become a sign used to identify a person, a family, an institution, or a territory.

In a religious military order, a cross can also serve as a sign of collective identity distinguishing its members.

One must therefore avoid claiming that the four branches of the cross pattée historically meant, for example:

• courage;
• protection;
• strength;
• balance;
• the four directions.

These meanings may exist in contemporary interpretations, but they should not be presented as a certain medieval explanation of the pattée shape.

Is the cross pattée really a Templar cross?

The answer requires an important nuance:

Yes, the cross pattée is historically attested in the Templar world. But it is neither exclusive to the Templars nor necessarily the only form of cross used in all the Order's representations.

This distinction helps avoid two opposing errors.

The first would be to claim that the cross pattée has no historical link to the Temple. Medieval sources show, on the contrary, that it does appear in the sigillographic environment of the Order.

The second would be to consider that a single, perfectly defined form of cross pattée constituted the immutable "official logo" of all Templars for nearly two centuries. Medieval documents show a reality that is much less standardized.

Are there crosses pattées in Templar sources?

Yes.

The scientific database Sigilla, dedicated to medieval seals, documents in particular a seal used in 1251 and associated with Foulques de Saint-Michel.

Its description indicates:

"Shield bearing a cross pattée fitchy."

The legend preserved around the seal also contains the words:

... MILITVM TEMPLI

that is to say, a direct reference to the Knights of the Temple.

This document is particularly interesting because it provides much more solid proof than the numerous modern representations where the cross pattée is simply used because it "looks like a Templar cross."

What shape was the Templars' cross really?

The Templars are historically associated with a red cross, but it is better not to imagine their emblem as an industrial design perfectly identical from one knight to another and from one century to the next.

Medieval depictions of crosses can vary according to:

• the medium;
• the artist or engraver;
• the region;
• the period;
• the function of the object depicted.

A cross appearing on a seal does not necessarily have exactly the same geometry as a cross sewn onto a garment or drawn in a manuscript.

This is why it is historically more accurate to speak of a red cross associated with the Order of the Temple that could take different forms, of which the cross pattée constitutes one of the most important representations.

To place this symbol within the general history of the institution: Order of the Temple: origin, history, and fall of the Templars .

Why did the Templars wear a white mantle?

The Primitive Rule of the Temple provides particularly clear information here.

It reserves the white mantle for knight brothers and explicitly explains the religious significance of this color. White is associated with the purity and chastity of those who have left their old lives behind to join the Order.

This meaning is therefore directly documented in a normative text linked to the Temple.

One must, however, be more cautious when compiling long modern lists of meanings automatically attributed to the red color of the cross.

The red cross is indeed an essential sign of Templar visual identity. But it is better to distinguish this historical fact from modern interpretations that systematically attribute "courage," "power," or "protection" to it.

The contrast between the light mantle of the knight brother and the red cross has become one of the most recognizable images of the Order of the Temple.

Was the cross pattée reserved for the Templars?

No.

This is an essential distinction. The cross pattée existed before the Templars and continues to be used in numerous contexts unrelated to them.

It is encountered in Christian history, heraldry, architecture, and various institutional uses.

Thus:

• a cross pattée is not automatically a Templar cross;
• but a cross pattée can perfectly appear in a historically Templar context.

To determine the meaning of an ancient cross pattée, one must therefore observe not only its shape but also its medium, its inscription, its provenance, and its historical context.

Cross pattée, Templar cross, Maltese cross, and Jerusalem cross: what are the differences?

Several medieval or Middle Ages-inspired crosses are frequently confused today. They do not, however, refer to the same thing.

The Maltese Cross, in particular, should not be confused with a simple cross pattée: its four branches form eight very characteristic points.

To learn more: Maltese Cross: meaning, origin, and link with the Templars .

The Jerusalem Cross, for its part, has an entirely different structure: Jerusalem Cross: meaning, origin, and history .

Why has the cross pattée become so associated with the Templars?

This association can be explained by several factors.

First of all, pattée-style shapes are actually documented in the environment of the Order. The connection is therefore not a purely modern invention.

Next, the simple and immediately recognizable geometry of this cross lends itself particularly well to seals, coats of arms, illustrations, and modern depictions.

Finally, popular culture has gradually simplified the image of the Templar around a few visual elements:

• light mantle;
• red cross;
• sword;
• shield;
• Holy Land architecture.

The red cross pattée has thus become one of the modern forms most immediately identifiable as "Templar," even if the actual history is more nuanced.

To compare this symbol with the seals and mottos of the Order: Templar symbols: meaning of crosses, seals, and mottos .

The cross pattée in contemporary creations

The cross pattée remains very present today in creations inspired by the medieval and Templar world.

It appears notably on:

• rings;
• pendants;
• bracelets;
• clothing;
• decorative objects.

These creations are contemporary. They are inspired by a historical form and its association with the Order of the Temple, but they should not be presented as reproductions of jewelry necessarily worn by the Templars in the Middle Ages.

A ring adorned with a cross pattée allows one today to visually reclaim this historical aesthetic in a modern object.

Frequently asked questions about the cross pattée

What is a cross pattée?

A cross pattée is a cross whose four arms gradually widen towards their extremities. Its geometry can vary, and there is no single, perfectly standardized pattée shape.

What is the meaning of the cross pattée?

There is no single meaning applicable to all crosses pattées. In a Christian context, it is above all a form of Christian cross. In a heraldic or institutional context, its meaning depends on the person or organization using it.

Was the cross pattée invented by the Templars?

No. Crosses pattées are documented in Christian art several centuries before the founding of the Order of the Temple in the 12th century.

Is the cross pattée really a Templar cross?

Yes, pattée-style shapes are historically attested in the Templar environment. A 1251 seal documented by Sigilla notably bears a cross pattée fitchy. But this shape was not reserved for the Templars.

What cross did the Templars really wear?

The Templars are historically associated with a red cross. However, one must avoid imagining a unique and perfectly standardized geometry comparable to a modern logo. The cross pattée constitutes one of the historically relevant forms in the world of the Order.

Why did the Templars wear white?

The Primitive Rule of the Temple reserves the white mantle for knight brothers and explicitly associates this color with purity and chastity.

What is the difference between a cross pattée and a Maltese Cross?

The cross pattée has arms that widen towards their ends. The Maltese Cross has four deeply notched arms that form eight points. It is primarily associated with the Order of Saint John and later the Order of Malta.

What is the difference between a cross pattée and a Jerusalem Cross?

The Jerusalem Cross consists of a large cross potent accompanied by four smaller crosses. Its structure is therefore very different from that of a simple cross pattée.

Was the cross pattée reserved for the Templars?

No. It appears in numerous religious and heraldic contexts before, during, and after the existence of the Order of the Temple. Historical context is therefore essential to determine the meaning of any given cross pattée.

What should we remember about the cross pattée?

The cross pattée is strongly associated with the Templars today, but its history begins several centuries before them.

Pattée forms already appear in Christian art from Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. The Order of the Temple did not, therefore, create this geometry.

However, its connection to the Templars is historically real: a seal dated 1251 notably shows a cross pattée in a context directly linked to the Knights Templar.

One must, however, distinguish this reality from the modern image of a single "official Templar cross" whose shape was perfectly identical everywhere. Medieval representations are more diverse.

The cross pattée can therefore be considered one of the historical forms associated with the Templar world, without making it an exclusively Templar symbol or attributing modern meanings to it that the sources do not support.

Historical sources and further reading

• Sigilla / IRHT – Foulques de Saint-Michel, 1251 seal with cross pattée
• Persée – Proto-medieval altar table of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges and the cross pattée
• Fordham University – Primitive Rule of the Templars: clothing and white mantle
• National Archives – The Templars: history and sources of the Order of the Temple