Portrayed on the scallop shell of the pilgrims in Compostela is a red cross in the form of a dagger, with the hilt or handle made of three fleurs-de-lys. Seemingly, this symbol—known as the Cross of St James—dates back to the time of the Crusades. The knights and the soldiers participating in this ‘pilgrimage’ to reclaim the holy places associated with the mystery of salvation, used to carry this dagger to thrust it into the ground and pray in front of it. The red colour represents the Blood of Christ, while the white background of the scallop shell symbolises purity.

In the first centuries of the Church, the cross was not used in Christian decorations and art. This is understandable because, although it symbolises God’s love for us through the sacrifice of His Son, it still aroused aversion and fear because it was still used as a capital punishment. We can see this clearly in St Paul’s letters:

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 1:22-25

The Cross was a stumbling block to the Jews because, according to their Law, anyone who is hung from a tree is under God’s curse (see Deut 21:23; Gal 3:13). It was foolishness to the Greeks because Christ’s teaching, in which He made it clear to those who followed him that they were to be prepared to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him (see Lk 9:23), did not make sense to them. Hedonism considers pleasure to be the purpose of life, while the Stoic and Gnostic philosophers presented the search for wisdom and balance as the source of salvation and virtue.

Although under different forms, these viewpoints—or lack thereof—appear and reappear from time to time, making St Paul’s rebuke to the Galatians applicable even for us today: “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified!” (Gal 3:1).

When confronted with the crosses of life, we can easily get caught in the same trap of St Peter in the Quo Vadis legend. When the persecution under Emperor Nero intensified, Peter decided to leave Rome by night … maybe he was afraid, and who would blame him! Maybe he believed that he had more to preach about Christ. But realistically, can you ever preach and understand everything about Christ? As the legend goes, while he was leaving, Peter meets Jesus walking in the opposite direction, towards the city, and carrying a cross. Peter asked him: “Domine, quo vadis?—“Lord, where are you going?” To which Jesus answered: “Eo Romam iterum crucifigi”—“I am going to Rome to be crucified again”. Contrary of what took place during the Last Supper and his denial of Christ, in this moment of trial, Peter understood Jesus’ gentle but firm words and returned to Rome and, as a faithful shepherd and guardian of the Church, he remained with his community to the end until the unjust ‘justice’ allowed him.

This red cross is an invitation for us to form our thoughts and our vision on the Cross of our salvation. As we journey along the path of our pilgrimage and our lives, we encounter responsibilities we accept and those we experience as sorrowful and burdensome. The life that throws these challenges at us is the same life that will redeem us … The Lord who tests us is the same Lord who redeems us!

Philippians 2: Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus
⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
⁶ who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
⁷ but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
⁸ he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11