What is a crucifix?
A crucifix is a cross with the likeness of Jesus Christ’s body. The crucifix is the universally recognized symbol of the Christian faith. The religion adopts it as one of their principal symbols. It is primarily used in the Catholic Church (but is also seen in Anglican, Eastern Ortodox, and Lutheran churches) and reminds Christians of Jesus’ sacrifice, meaning his death by crucifixion, which Christians believe brought about mankind’s redemption. On some crucifixes a skull and crossbones are shown below the corpus which refer to Golgotha (Calvary), the site at which Jesus was crucified. Some Protestants prefer using an empty cross without Jesus Christ’s body because they believe that the absence of the body symbolizes the Resurrection while the presence of his body denies it.
