Was the first inverted cross Peter's way to honor of Christ?

Inverted crosses, what do they mean?

There is a religious symbolism behind the gesture of inverted crosses, that may not be wideloy known. The first one mentioned in history was a crucifixion said to be in honor of Jesus Christ, who was crucified.

Thanks to Hollywood horror movies and some televised reenactments of exorcisms there is fear. They depict crosses on walls that turn from right side up to upside down, leading some to believe this phenomenon is a sign of demonic activity. 

What's going on at the Vatican?

While this may be true, other uses for this symbol that may come as a surprise.. There were upside-down crosses on the wall at the Vatican during Pope Francis's funeral, which led to rumors about Satanic rituals taking place.

The priestly attire with black hoods were said to look like devil worshippers. The ceremonies and rituals during the service only added to the confusion for those who are not Catholic and don't understand. 

The death of Saint Peter

Christian tradition reveals that Peter felt bad about denying Jesus three times on the night before the crucifixion. This guilt is said to be the reason he asked to be crucified with his head to the ground. Others say Peter simply did not deem himself worthy to be crucified as Jesus was, and did not mention any guilt.

Some people do not believe this story because it is not mentioned in the Bible. Many aspects of Jewish history confirm events not noted in scripture.

Just because something is not explicitly stated in Scripture does not prove that it never happened, as some believe.

In John 21:25, the beloved disciple says that Jesus did many things that if written down, the world could not contain them. This lets us know that not every detail is in the 66 books of the Bible.

Historians provide what the Bible does not

Saint John was said to have been the only one of the 12 disciples who was not martyred. This does not include Judas, who hanged himself. Mathias replaced the man who betrayed Christ to bring the number to 12 again.

John was allegedly placed in a vat of boiling oil but did not die and was sent to the Isle of Patmos, where he died in old age. The Bible does say that John wrote the book of Revelation while he was exiled, but mentions nothing about the attempt on his life.

The Bible does not name the girl who asked for John the Baptist's head and refers to her as the daughter of Herodius. According to history, her name is Salome, and this is how she is commonly referred to in modern times.

The Cross of Saint Peter

Scripture says Peter was a disciple and an Apostle of Jesus. Catholics celebrate Peter as the first Bishop/Pope of the Christian church. The inverted crosses at the Vatican are called the cross of Saint Peter. Some Christians wear them as jewelry to honor him.

It may seem odd that Satanists would use the same symbol that honors Peter. Still the same hand gesture that allegedly means one is aligned with teh devil is the same one George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic used to represent P-Funk. Therefore, symbols, like beauty, are in the eye of the beholder.

Did Jesus prophesy Peter's death?

There is also a belief that Jesus prophesied to Peter that he would be crucified upside-down based on John 21:18-19.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Apostle John, the author of the book of Revelation, who was prophetic, wrote this scripture. It sounds like he was getting a glimpse of the future regarding Peter's fate, the same way he wrote about endtime events.

If we are to believe what has been stated, then Peter was crucified upside down in honor of Christ, and the early church honored Peter by using inverted crosses as the Vatican does today. Keep this in mind the next time you see one, because it may not represent what you think.