Skull on Crucifix : Meaning

The association of the skull on a crucifix raises questions. What are the meanings of a skull at the foot of a cross? What does it say on the crucifix? Why does the skull sometimes appear at the feet of Jesus?

Welcome to Skull Faction! We are specialists in the skull and will answer questions about this fascinating and sometimes complex subject of connection between the skull and the crucifix. ✝️

The skull on a crucifix is ​​a reminder of human mortality. It symbolizes Christ’s victory over death, through death. The skull on a cross also evokes the skull of Adam, the first man on earth.

In this article, we will see together in detail the different meanings of a skull alongside the catholic cross. What is his story and how people use his image. Why the death’s head is sometimes represented at the feet of the son of God.
After reading these lines, you will know exactly what the meanings of a skull next to a crucifix are. 💀

Let’s get started without further ado!

Golgotha ​​(Skull Place)

The skull is a visual reminder of where Jesus was crucified. Golgotha ​​or “Mount of Calvary” is known to be the place where Jesus was killed.

At the bottom of the rock of Calvary is a chapel, dedicated not to Christ, but to the first man on earth: Adam. This “chapel of Adam” is considered by tradition to be “the last earthly resting place of our first father.” So Golgotha ​​is called the place of the skull not only for the white color of the rock -like that of human bone- but also for its location as a reliquary of Adam himself. The tradition further states that at the time of Christ’s slaying, blood from his wounds seeped out, covering the remains of Adam. ☠️

It is in a way the symbolism of the reunion of the remains of fallen man and the blood of Christ. He reminds us that it is through the blood of Christ that we are clothed with new life. 🩸 This is because Golgotha ​​is considered the place of burial of the first man that depictions of the death of the Son of God often include a skull at the foot of the cross.

Golgotha, is a “skull-shaped” hill located at Jerusalem, in Israel. The hill lies outside the city walls
The exact location where Jesus was crucified is uncertain, and the site is now visited by thousands of people every year. The skull associated with the crucifix therefore represents this place. But not only, see the continuation just below.

One of the meanings of a skull at the foot of a crucifix is that of saying that it is the skull of Adam. This head offers those of us who cannot make pilgrimage in Holy Land a small part of the Chapel of Adam. Looking at the skull of this icon, we are reminded of the great loss caused by Adam, and of the greatest victory brought by Christ to this place of the skull, the transformation of Adam’s weakness into a “happy fault”.

We make our prayer and our veneration a sort of mental pilgrimage to the chapel of Adam, not as we know it in reality, but as it is represented at the foot of the cross. A legend has it that the skull of Adam was raised during the earthquake that followed the crucifixion of Christ.

His blood cleanses us all of this original sin and we are free to be with God in heaven once again. So when you see representations of the skull at the feet of Jesus, it reminds you that we are redeemed and our sins are washed away, thanks to Jesus. The skull that we see alongside a cross is therefore always that of Adam. It symbolizes the homage that Christ pays to the first man who walked on Earth. 🌍

Adam’s Skull Symbol

One of the first Christian leaders, Origen, who lived from 185 to 253 AD, reported that Jesus was crucified where Adam was buried and where his skull was found. Whether this is true or not, early Christians believed that Jesus was crucified near Adam’s burial place. ⚰️

As this first story tells, when the earthquake happened while Jesus was hanging on the cross, his blood ran down the cross into the crack in the rock below and is fell on Adam’s skull. This story is deeply rooted in the early Christian tradition.

Interestingly, Jewish tradition states that Adam’s skull was buried near the city of Jerusalem by the son of Noah. Tradition says that this burial place was guarded by Melchizedek, who was the priest-king of Salem at the time of Abraham. Unknown to most Western believers, this story is so accepted that it is considered a major theme in Orthodox doctrine, and the Adam’s skull regularly appears at the base of the crossboth in the paintings and in the icons.

If you see a skull at the base of a crucifix, so you can say that it symbolizes the skull of Adam which would have been found buried on the place of the crucifixion of Jesus. 🩸

These extremely interesting facts, although impossible to prove, have retained strong support throughout 2,000 years ofchristian story. If that were true, it would be quite amazing if the second Adam, Jesus Christ, died for the sins of the world exactly where the first Adam, the original sinner, was buried. If the blood of Jesus flowed through the crack in the stone and fell on Adam’s skull, as the tradition says, it would be very symbolic that the blood of Jesus covers the sins of the human race from which Adam originated .

Reminder of Mortality (Momento Mori)

Most crucifixes are made without the skull and crossbones. Very often, when they have them, people remove them because they feel uncomfortable with the image of the skull. The skull and bones have many symbolic meanings. And the strongest of them is that of the reminder of death. Let’s see it in detail. ☠️

The skull is notably a reminder of human mortality. To show it under the feet of Jesus is a symbol of Christ conquering death by his death. It simply means that we are not immortal, and death will come for each of us. Because even Jesus, the son of God, suffered it. It is a reminder that our passage on earth is not eternal.

The skull has become an integral part of the Russian crucifixion tradition and some medieval crucifixes. Medieval European culture, after the repeated incursions of the plague and the aftermath of the Hundred Years’ War, knew sudden death well, and was somewhat obsessed with it. Skeletons, skulls and bones had become an expression of how quickly one could be torn from life. 🙏

Use the Crucifix associated with the Skull

We have just listed the different symbols of theassociation of the crucifix and the skull. How a reminder of mortality (Momento Mori), that the skull represents where Jesus was crucified, and symbolizes the skull of Adam, the first man on earth. You will now know how to perfectly answer questions that are directly or indirectly related to this subject. 🙏

Now that you know perfectly the meaning of the skull on a crucifix, the most beautiful way to pay homage to it is to adopt a ring with like symbol the crucifix and the skull. Here is one of our most beautiful jewels of the theme. Discover the ring by simply clicking on the image below.

You can’t find ideas for your future wedding and you want to have a skull as a theme? We have an article with the best ideas skull wedding.