South Cross (Cross of St. Patrick & St. Columba)
The Cross of St. Patrick and St. Columba, otherwise known as the South Cross, stands proudly alongside the Round Tower at Kells and is the most ancient of the high crosses found here, believed to be from the 9th century. It is carved out of a single block of sandstone and has a height of 3.3 meters featuring some of the most intricate carvings of its time.
A caption on the east base reads: “PATRICII ET COLUMBAE CRUX” – Patrick and Columba’s Cross. This is a transitional piece, the progression from the earlier ornamented style found at Ahenny to more formalized scenes of the Bible found on later high crosses. The figures move smoothly around the cross, naturally directing your eye from one scene to the next.
There are two men at the base of the shaft with their limbs and bodies intricately entwined. This represents an old Irish custom among the narrators, who sat facing each other with their legs crossed and pulled their beards as signs of truthfulness and accuracy of their accounts.
At the bottom on the east face of the cross is Adam and Eve with Cain slaying Abel. Above them stand the Three Children in the Furnace, then slightly above, Daniel in the Lions’ Den.
On the west face is the Crucifixion scene placed centrally on the shaft rather than in the center of the head. In both, the sponge-bearer is at the right of Christ and the spear-bearer at the left. Above both of Christ’s arms are representations of the sun and moon – Sol, who has a torch in his hand with a disk that has rays above his head, and Luna holding a simple moon disk. At the head of the cross, Christ is portrayed in majesty, being surrounded by the Four Evangelists in the form of their symbols: winged lion for Mark, winged calf for Luke, eagle for John, and man-angel for Matthew, who is depicted supporting the Lamb in a wreath.
The head of the cross also depicts Christ with a sceptre and a cross-staff, symbolizing the Last Judgement – a motif repeated on the Durrow cross. The Sacrifice of Isaac is depicted on the left arm, and the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes on the right arm.
The foundation itself is a work of art, with the east end showing a man chasing animals and the west end a line of chariots. Everywhere there are lovely interlacing patterns and animal carvings that add to the rich history of the cross.
This marvelous high cross is not just evidence of the artistry of the time but also a gripping narrative of religion, myth, and tradition. It’s a treasure to see for anyone exploring the historical treasures of Kells!
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