Celtic Crosses and the Protestant Religion
By Chelsea Prestia

   Celtic crosses are seen throughout Ireland, and many follow the Protestant religion in Northern Ireland.

For descriptions, open the slideshow in fullscreen and click "show info," or view the set.

Photo 1: Over the years, Northern Ireland has seen conflict between people of the Protestant and Catholic faiths. This church, located in Belfast, is of the Protestant religion.

Photo 2: The largest Celtic cross in Ireland is located on St. Anne's Cathedral in Belfast. The cross, located on the side of the church, was built in 1927 in honor of those who died in World War I.

Photo 3: This cross is on the iron gate at the entrance to St. Kevin's Monastery.

Photo 4: Here is a Celtic cross in a churchyard in Adare, Ireland. Adare is nicknamed the "prettiest village in Ireland."

Photo 5: Glendalough features the ancient ruins of what was once a monastery founded by St. Kevin in the sixth century. Many of the the gravestones within the cemetery are adorned by the Celtic cross.

Photo 6: This is a Presbyterian church located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Very few Protestant churches exist in the southern part of Ireland, as the majority of the population there is Catholic.

Photo 7: It is often believed that the cross was designed to represent the four corners of the Earth or four directional points. The circle behind the cross was thought of as the sun or moon which was considered to be the force behind Earth.

Photo 8: While Celtic crosses are prominent in both the Catholic and Protestant religions, the traditional Latin or “t” style cross shown in the photo is also used by both. This cross is located on the side of a Protestant church in Belfast.

Photo 9: This is a Celtic cross on a fence surrounding a church in Adare, Ireland.

Photo 10: Here is a deteriorating Celtic cross on a tombstone in St. Kevin's Monastery.

Photo 11: The graveyard at St. Kevin's Monastery is thought to have been around since the late sixth century.

Photo 12: A Celtic cross stands outside the visitors center in the town of Adare, Ireland.

Photo 13: Here is a Celtic cross at the entrance to St. Kevin's Monastery.

Photo 14: The cemetery at St. Kevin's Monastery contains gravestones adorned with both the Celtic cross and the tradition Latin or "t" style cross.

Photo 15: While the majority of The Republic of Ireland is Catholic, Northern Ireland is split between Protestants and Catholics. This church in Belfast, one example of the Protestant churches in Ireland, shares many of the same architectural similarities of the Catholic cathedrals.

Photo 16: Here is a Protestant church in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Photo 17: This is a Celtic cross tombstone in the cemetery at St. Kevin's Monastery. In the background, the hills surrounding Glendalough can be seen.

Photo 18: Many consider the Celtic cross to be a symbol of heritage among the people living in places such as Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is believed that when the cross was first constructed, its function was as a navigational symbol.

Photo 19: The first Celtic crosses were not made to stand up but were rather constructed of stone and laid flat on the ground. It wasn't until later that they were used on things such as churches and tombstones.