The Importance of the Cross in Hoodoo

by T. Holmes

We tend to think religions are rigid with strict lines and boundaries. You do one thing in one religion and something different in another. But, the intersection of religions shows that that isn’t always the case.

The Christian cross is seen on almost every block, in every Christian home and throughout the church. In many black homes it’s almost taboo not to have a cross somewhere. We all know the cross hanging in the living room, kitchen or hallway in our granny’s home. The cross represents Jesus, the deity known as the son of the Lord and Messiah. It is believed that he died on the cross because of his beliefs and practices during his life. In the Bible it is said he died for his followers and believers sin.

With that being said, the cross is a well venerated emblem for many practicing Christians. I argue, it is equally important to hood practitioners. If you look at the cross it is headed in four different directions, just like the crossroads. The crossroads is an important image and actual location in hoodoo. It serves as a portal to get to places you need to go. It’s a portal to get to spirits you cannot reach. A place to leave offerings and pray to get things going. It’s also where the cross roads man, the messenger, resides.

The crossroads is a staple for the hoodoo community because of the importance it serves. Hollywood has made the cross roads seem like a scary place where you go and make a deal with the devil. Many shows show it. But, in reality if you practice hoodoo you know the importance of the cross roads and how it serves as a portal.

Oftentimes we have been hurt and traumatized by the Christian church and its followers and we want to leave everything behind, rightfully so. But, to some hoodoo practitioners things in the Christian practice hold importance. This is because our ancestors used these emblems like the cross and text like the bible to do the hoodoo. needed to. They used what they had to make the magic happen and get things going. So, in some cases like the case of the cross it may be beneficial to look from time to time.

The crossroads shows you where you have been, where you are going and where you have come from. It’s a portal as stated earlier, a place to meet the man at the crossroads and so much more. Knowing that the cross represents more than Christinity may make one reconsider it. Praise to the spirits at the crossroads who get things moving.