About the Author: Edouard Karam has been a convert to the Roman Catholic Church since 2016, a husband since 2024 and a father since 2025. His main interests are apologetics, philosophy, and comparative world religions.
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Before our Lord walked the Earth in human form, and before He was crucified for the sins of the world, the prophet and priest Ezekiel was shown a vision that foretold the saving power of the Holy Cross.
The Book of Ezekiel contains a series of profound visions, and in the ninth chapter, the prophet is given a vision concerning the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem. God warns Ezekiel that six men are about to visit the city, each carrying a weapon of war. However, one man is set apart because he carries a writer’s ink horn (an ancient pen). God commands:
“Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and mark Thau upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and mourn for all the abominations committed in its midst.
And to the others He said in my hearing: ‘Go after him through the city and strike. Let not your eyes spare, nor be moved with pity. Utterly destroy old and young, maidens, children, and women; but upon whomsoever you shall see the mark of Thau, kill him not. Begin at my sanctuary.’” (Ez. 9:4–6, DRA).
The “Thau” is the last letter of the ancient Hebrew alphabet, and at the time of Ezekiel, it was written in the shape of a cross. This cross-shaped letter was used to mark those who were to be spared from the judgment about to fall upon Jerusalem.
Over time, the letter took on a more modern form (ותָּ), but its original shape bore a clear resemblance to the Christian cross.
While translations such as the Douay-Rheims, which are more faithful to the Vulgate, explicitly translate “Thau” as “mark of Thau,” many other translations leave it as “mark,” without specifying its symbolic significance.
I believe the Douay-Rheims makes a reasonable choice because the word “mark” in this context is used as a noun, with the verb “to put” serving as the action instead. This translation choice is even reflected in Jewish tradition, as seen in the Talmud, where Rav Yosef teaches:
“Do not read the word as ‘mimmikdashi’ [‘from my sanctuary’], but rather read it as ‘mimmekudashai’ [‘from my sanctified ones’] those sanctified to Me. These are people who have observed the Torah in its entirety, from the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Aleph, to the final letter, Tav.” (Avodah Zarah 4a:17)
Though this interpretation is more about legal observance than a prefiguration of Christ, it is significant that the letter “Tav” is seen as a specific marking, not just a general symbol.
Who Will Be Saved?
In addition to revealing the power of the cross, Ezekiel’s vision also outlines the fate of the wicked. Those who are not marked by the Thau are condemned to die. The judgment is severe—only a small remnant of the people are spared. God sends one angel to mark the faithful, but five angels to destroy the rest. This reminds us of the reality that, throughout Israel’s history, only a small remnant followed God. In the New Testament, this is echoed in Paul’s letter to the Romans:
“Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” (Rm 11:5)
This is a sobering reminder that salvation is not universal but requires a response to God’s call.
The Cross and the Sacraments
The power of the cross, symbolized in the Thau, is not only seen in Ezekiel’s prophecy, but it is also manifest in the sacraments of the Church. In the rites of Confirmation, Extreme Unction, and Baptism, priests make the sign of the cross, often anointing with oil. This is more than a symbolic gesture; it is a visible mark of the saving power of Christ’s sacrifice.
Just as the Thau marked those who were to be spared from the coming judgment in Ezekiel’s vision, so too does the cross mark Christians as belonging to Christ, set apart for salvation. The cross is not merely an inward sign of faith but a visible and outward manifestation of God’s grace at work in the life of the believer.
A Warning and Reflection
Before executing His judgment, God commands that His angels begin with the sanctuary—the temple of God. This is a powerful statement about the responsibility of those who are closest to God.
As Peter writes: “For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if it first begins with us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Pt 4:17, DRA).
Ezekiel’s vision, then, is not only a warning to the people of Israel but to all of us. We, too, are called to live in holiness and faithfulness. The judgment starts with us—the Church—and from us, the message of salvation must go out to the world. Let us be mindful of the gift of the cross and the responsibility it places upon us to live according to God’s commandments.
Conclusion
Though God’s judgment upon the wicked is severe, we can take comfort in the fact that those who are marked with the cross of Christ are spared from eternal judgment. As we reflect on Ezekiel’s prophecy, let us also remember that judgment begins with the house of God. While our struggles and trials may seem difficult, we can take comfort in knowing that the fate of those who have not received the gospel is far worse. Let us be diligent in our own faith and remember that the holy cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is both a sign of salvation and a call to holiness.