Comments on: The “Christian” or “Cross & Bible” Historic Door

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:47:13 +0000

Ahh…..I see. So you’re saying the two small squares on the “shoulders” of the cross would be the “flames” of the candles? And the actual candles are the vertical rectangles on either side of the cross’s post? I can see that. But the other revelation (no pun intended) in your comment is that there was a heavy Quaker population in Ontario. Didn’t know that.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:49:07 +0000

Our recent-vintage (1977) house in what was once a heavily Quaker area of southern Ontario (Prince Edward County) has several of these as entry doors. But there’s another symbol in its design all the posters have missed — the two candles and flames flanking the cross. So it’s really a cross, book and candle door.

By: Graham

Graham — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:20:59 +0000

As a Jew living in the US, a Christian country, I have nothing but admiration for those responsible for bringing a Christian significance to the most standard design for residential doors.

What I do not understand is why Christians in Christian dominated countries persist in using the names of pagan gods within the names by which they call the days of the week and months of the year. The least they could do would be to rename their Sabbath day by changing one letter, making it Sonday.

I do confess, that because I learned to recognise the ‘Cross and Book’ doors many years ago, when my home was remodeled recently, I chose doors of a different design.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:06:22 +0000

Ha! I guess that must be the case!

By: ron

ron — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:07:33 +0000

What about the four panel door where the cross is inverted. Is this a house of Satan?

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:48:12 +0000

I was lying in bed around mid-night thinking about my despicable sin (Lev27-30)and noticed the door had a cross at the top, 35 years old and never heard it till now. Thank you Lord for always showing up when I need you and for having a funny way of using things to shine your light, for instance a search lead me to a blog about doors and that blog turned into the truth about doors..

Very honorable to leave the original diagram for reference. Thanks for sharing Michael.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:44:19 +0000

We refinish Cross and Bible door and build them from scratch as well. Our homes in Charleston SC have many historic examples of these doors south of Calhoun street which dates to the 1680′s. Cross on top – bible on bottom.

By: Pete

Pete — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 15:26:49 +0000

I guess this means I should change out my six panel doors for something more agnostic. Love how house builders assume how the owner is going to be Christian.

By: AL Wellman

AL Wellman — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 16:57:41 +0000

I grew up in a an old New England connected farm in southern Maine. The building was on maps produced in 1800, so was presumably built in the 18th century. From interior framing, one could determine construction occurred in stages. The carriage house was oldest, then the kitchen, pantry, and mud room built around a large brick oven supported by an 8-foot square brick arch in the cellar. There were two built-in iron cauldrons in the mud room possibly used for soup or to manufacture soap. Two more stages of downstairs living areas and upstairs bedrooms extended away from the carriage house. The oldest bedroom had apparently been used by the proprietor when the home served as a stage stop with boarders utilizing the other bedrooms. The oldest bedroom had three 6-panel doors leading to the hallway with boarders’ bedrooms, a stairway down to the kitchen, and a closet. All remaining doors in the house were 4-panel doors. Old residents of the town referred to the cross formed by muntins above the middle rail as a “witch’s cross” believed to prevent witches from crossing the threshold, and presumably protecting room occupants from the terrors of the night — even those originating in the closet.

By: shara

shara — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 23:11:15 +0000

I have always known the cross and bible doors to be of quaker origin. they are called cross and bible because the cross is on top and the bible on bottom, otherwise they would be called bible and plus sign doors.