Rosicrucian Order, OHGRC

Order of the Hermetic Gold and Rose+Cross

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This is the official website of the Rosicrucian Order, OHGRC—Supreme Grand Lodge of Asia and Pacific

What really do the cross and the rose signify? What are

behind these mystical symbols? Is the cross just an

ancient religious Christian symbol that many people

revere and believe in?

The Cross

The cross as a symbol is both universal and of the distant past. It predates Christianity, having existed in the earlier Egyptian, Celtic, Phoenician, and Roman cultures. Variations of the cross are also found in the cultures of the early American Indians and Hindus. Some historians even note that prehistoric man, who was primitive and unintelligent, made cross markings on his implements. Thus, humans have used the cross since ancient times as a symbol without any religious significance.

The cross may have first become an icon when, at sunrise, a man stood facing the sun, his arms fully extended at his sides in a gesture of solemn adoration to the solar manifestation of the Divine. The man's body cast a shadow on the ground, and this shadow had the shape of the cross. Since then, the cross may have become a mystical symbol signifying man, particularly man in adoration of the Divine.

The Rose

The rose, with its beauty, fragrance and sweetness, represents life itself.

The Rose Cross

Having the rose at the heart of the cross symbolizes the Inner Man, the spiritual and eternal essence of the human being. This Inner Man has been variously referred to as the Soul, the Divine Master Within, the Inner Self, and the Divine Spark. When the rose is in full bloom, it signifies that the Inner Man is fully awakened, hence, allowing the Divine to manifest in the person.

The Hermetic Cross

The sign of our beloved Order is the Hermetic Cross—a variation of the Rose Cross, which evolved from the ancient Egyptian esoteric cross, the ankh. Each constituent part of the Hermetic Cross is rich in esoteric and mystical meanings which are revealed in our teachings.