Cross moline

The cross moline (also cross anchory, French croix ancrée "anchor cross") is a Christian cross, constituting a kind of heraldic cross.

A cross moline

History

The name derives from its shape, which resembles a millrind, the iron clamp of the upper millstone, moline being the Old French for a mill. It is very similar to one of the varieties of the "fer de moline" heraldic charge (literal French: "iron of a mill"), the forked tips of which, however, circle out slightly more, akin to the "cross recercelee". It is borne both inverted and rebated, and sometimes "saltirewise" (i.e. in the form of a saltire).

The cross moline is associated with St. Benedict of Nursia. As a result, it is widely used as an emblem by the monks and nuns of the Order of St. Benedict, which he founded.[1]

Examples

Canting arms of Molyneux: Azure, a cross moline or
Templar cross moline

Crosses moline appear most notably in the arms of the following:

Cercelée

Cross Cercelée
Anchor cross

A cross cercelée (or sarcelly or recercelée) is an exaggerated cross moline, and to a lesser extent similar to the anchored cross, with its forked tips curving around both ways, like a ram's horns. The form is also known as recercelée, for example by Boutell.[2][3][4]

See also

References

  1. Bayne, William Wilfrid OSB ChLJ, Dom. "An American Benedictine Armorial: Part One". Order of St. Benedict. Archived from the original on 2013-12-19. Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  2. Boutell, Charles. Heraldry Historical & Popular, London, 1863, p. 29
  3.  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "Cercelée". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.
  4. Example of a cross cercelée ()

Sources

Further reading

  • MCR - The Black Parade
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