The globus cruciger (Latin for 'cross-bearing orb'), also known as "the orb and cross", is an orb surmounted by a cross. It has been a Christian symbol of authority since the Middle Ages, used on coins, in iconography, and with a sceptre as royal regalia.
The cross represents Christ´s dominion over the orb of the world, literally held in the hand of an earthly ruler. In the iconography of Western art, when Christ himself holds the globe, he is called Salvator Mundi (Latin for ´Saviour of the World´). For instance, the 16th-century Infant Jesus of Prague statue holds a globus cruciger in this manner.
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