Celtic Cross Tattoo Designs

Celtic tattoos of all kinds are an insanely popular design to get done today.  Because of their detailed appearance, meaningful symbolism, and rich history-people are opting to go Celtic.  The ancient history behind the Celtic designs hails from Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales-a part of the world where so many people with similar backgrounds like to show pride in their heritage by getting a Celtic tattoo.  The Celtic cross tattoo designs are easily the most widespread of all the Celtic images around.   

The meaning of the Celtic cross will vary, through time and depending on who is giving the explanation.  The Celtic crosses were originally designed according to both pagan and Christian beliefs.  The Christians, in an attempt to convert the pagans to Christianity, created a more elaborate cross that would persuade the pagans to join their religion.  So they incorporated the circle, which is based on the pagan worshiping of the sun god, into the cross-also making the symbol more aesthetically appealing. 
 
The Irish believe that the circle in the Celtic cross stands for eternal unity, and the cross with the circle is symbolic of God’s love.  Some Irish also believe that the cross stands for the Celtic year and its four greatest festivals. 

Because the Celtic cross tattoo designs are made up of Celtic knots, they also take on the symbolism of the knots, which universally represent the ideas of infinity and eternity.  Celtic knots have no beginning and no end, making the design a never-ending cycle both physically and conceptually.