Hmm...so Templars didn't carry shields w/crosses on them? I've seen that before...but never understood its meaning.
Yeah, not a lot is known about the symbolism. The best understanding is that it represents their stepping forth from darkness into the light, and out from sin.
The Templars used the black over white design for their shields and banners, occasionally adding a red cross over it on the banners (though I haven't been able to find an answer yet as to whether they sometimes added it on the shield too), but when they did that, it was small. Some historical writings describe some shields with a large black cross over white, very thick, described as "pale and fess" (which are vertical and horizontal bars that are about a third of the shield's width), but most would have been their standard "
beauseant" design of black chief over white field.
The red cross on white was more a badge that the pope granted them for their robes (surcoats) and mantles, as they were a monastic order.
But don't feel bad, I did the same thing. My Templar shield is also a red cross.
