History of the Maltese Cross
The badge of a fireman is the
Maltese Cross. This Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection and a
badge of honor. Its story is hundreds of years old.
W hen a courageous band of crusaders known as the Knights
of St. John, fought the Saracens for possession of the holy land,
they encountered a new weapon unknown to European warriors. It
was a simple, but a horrible device of war, it wrought
excruciating pain and agonizing death upon the brave fighters for
the cross. The Saracen's weapon was fire.
A s the crusaders advanced on the walls of the city, they
were struck by glass bombs containing naphtha. When they became
saturated with the highly flammable liquid, the Saracens hurled a
flaming torch into their midst. Hundreds of the knights were
burned alive; others risked their lives to save their
brothers-in-arms from dying painful, fiery deaths.
T hus, these men became our first firemen and the first
of a long list of courageous firefighters. Their heroic efforts
were recognized by fellow crusaders who awarded each here a badge
of honor - a cross similar to the one firemen wear today. Since
the Knights of St. John lived for close to four centuries on a
little island in the Mediterranean Sea named Malta, the cross
came to be known as the Maltese Cross.
T he Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means
that the fireman who wears this cross is willing to lay down his
life for you just as the crusaders sacrificed their lives for
their fellow man so many years ago. The Maltese Cross is a
fireman's badge of honor, signifying that he works in courage - a
ladder rung away from death. -anonymous