Pattée Cross

Definition:

The “Pattée Cross” (also spelled “Pattee”, “Patee”, or “Paty”) is a distinct form of Christian Cross with arms that are narrow at the center and flare out in a curved or straight widening toward the ends.

Etymology:

The word “pattée” comes from the Old French word “paté” or “pattee”, derived from “patte”, meaning “paw” or “foot,” referring to the paw-like broadening of the arms. “Cross” derives from the Latin “crux,” referring to a structure used for crucifixion, and later, a symbol of Christianity.

Description:

The cross became more standardized in usage during the medieval period, especially within orders of knighthood and military heraldry.

It is often seen in heraldry and military insignias.

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Symbolism:

The Pattée Cross is a symbol most associated with the violent enforcement of Christianity during the Crusades. It was widely used by the Knights Templar, one of the most infamous Christian military orders, as well as other Crusader groups like the Knights Hospitaller and the Teutonic Order. These knightly orders played a major role in the Crusades, using extreme brutality to expand Christian rule and suppress non-Christian populations. The Templar knights, in particular, wore a simple red Pattée Cross on their white tunics, signifying their willingness to fight and die in their religious wars. Their campaigns, driven by a belief in divine justification for conquest, led to massacres, forced conversions, and widespread destruction. The red color of their cross further reinforced its connection to bloodshed, both their own and that of those they deemed enemies of the faith. While originally a battlefield emblem, the Pattée Cross has continued to appear in various forms, sometimes romanticized but always carrying the legacy of its violent past.

The Pattée Cross can represent Christ’s crucifixion and the Christian faith. Its expanding arms suggest the spread of Christianity to the “four corners of the world.”

The Pattée Cross is distinguished by its curved, widening arms that create a sense of dynamic tension. These curvatures are not merely aesthetic—they often carry layered symbolic meanings. The arc-like expansion of each arm can evoke themes of violence, imprisonment, and even sexual symbolism. The Pattée Cross blends Christian and Islamic influences: its form echoes Christian iconography of the crucifixion, while its geometry and symmetrical abstraction align with Islamic artistic motifs. This duality makes it a potent emblem of both faith and force.

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