The cross of the Order of Christ is a red cross with straight arms, hollowed out at its center by a smaller white cross. It became one of Portugal's major emblems from the 14th century onward, when the Order of Christ succeeded the Templars in the kingdom. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the symbol accompanied Portuguese maritime expansion and appeared on sails, Manueline monuments, and objects associated with the Crown.
| Shape | Red cross containing a white cross |
|---|---|
| Order | Order of Christ |
| Foundation | 1319 |
| Center | Tomar |
| Legacy | Maritime expansion and Manueline art |
Why did the Order of Christ replace the Templars?
After the suppression of the Order of the Temple, King Denis of Portugal obtained the creation of the Order of Christ in 1319. The property and part of the institutional continuity of the Portuguese Templars passed to the new organization.
How can its cross be recognized?
The cross has straight red arms ending in widened tips, with a second white cross at the center. The official Visit Portugal website notes that this new form distinguished the Order of Christ from the Templar cross.
What role did Henry the Navigator play?
Henry the Navigator became governor and administrator of the Order in the 15th century. Tomar remained its main institutional center.
This association permanently linked the order to Portuguese maritime enterprises.
Why does the symbol accompany the voyages?
The cross appears on the sails and in the iconography of Portuguese expeditions. It became a symbol of the maritime monarchy and the religious mission accompanying the voyages.
Why does it appear in royal architecture?
Under Manuel I, the cross entered the vocabulary of the Manueline style alongside the armillary sphere, ropes, and royal arms.
The symbol of the armillary sphere and the cross of the Order of Christ thus form two complementary emblems of Portugal's Age of Discovery.
Historical sources and reference points
Visit Portugal traces the passage from the Templars to the Order of Christ and the role of Tomar and Henry the Navigator. The Convent of Christ preserves the major architectural witnesses to this history.
