Fear of crosses (staurophobia)

Staurophobia is a fear of crosses and the crucifix. It may lead someone to avoid churches, graveyards or jewellery featuring a cross, or to feel uneasy when religious symbols appear in films and artwork. The fear can have religious roots, links to horror imagery, or start with a specific memory.

About this phobia

The name comes from the Greek stauros, meaning cross or stake. It is a rare term and appears mostly on lists rather than in clinical writing. It is related to other fears of religious themes and symbols, and sometimes to a wider fear of churches, listed as ecclesiophobia.

How it shows up

Someone with this fear may feel uneasy at a cross on a necklace, a church spire or a gravestone. For some it ties in with religious fears or a sense of guilt, while for others it links to horror films where crosses play a big part. A specific memory, such as a funeral or a frightening sermon, may also be involved. It differs from mild discomfort because it can lead to avoiding places, events or even people who wear a cross.

Common triggers

• Crucifixes and religious art
• Cross-shaped jewellery
• Church spires
• Gravestones and memorials
• Horror films with religious imagery
• Funeral services
• Crosses painted on doors or walls

Where it shows up

• Churches and cathedrals
• Cemeteries
• Museums and galleries
• Weddings and funerals
• Faith schools
• Roadside memorials

Symptoms

In your body

• Racing heart
• Chills
• Nausea
• Tension
• Urge to look away

In your mind

• Unease or dread
• Guilt or fear of judgement
• Thoughts of death
• Sense of being watched or judged

What you might do

• Avoiding religious buildings
• Missing weddings or funerals
• Looking away from jewellery
• Avoiding certain films

What may cause it

This fear has very little research behind it. It may grow from frightening religious teaching, horror films, or a link between crosses and grief or loss. A single upsetting experience, such as an early funeral, can be enough to start it. Avoidance then keeps the fear strong, because the mind never learns that the symbol itself is harmless.

How it can affect your life

It can make it hard to attend weddings, funerals and other family events. It may also cause tension with relatives who are religious. Some people feel uneasy in parts of town with churches or memorials, which can affect where they walk or shop.

Related fears

• Fear of churches (ecclesiophobia)
• Fear of religion (theophobia)
• Fear of death (thanatophobia)
• Fear of graveyards (coimetrophobia)

Things that can help day to day

• Notice what thought comes up with the fear and write it down
• Look at simple cross shapes before religious images
• Visit a quiet church with a friend at a calm time of day
• Talk to a faith leader if the fear feels spiritual

When to get help

If the fear is stopping you attending important family events, talking therapy or hypnotherapy can help you feel more at ease. A GP can help if anxiety is affecting daily life.

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

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Common questions

Does a fear of crosses mean someone is against religion?

No, a phobia is an anxiety response rather than a belief, and people of many faiths and none can experience it. Some religious people find it especially upsetting because it clashes with what they value. The fear can be worked on without challenging anyone’s beliefs.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Further reading: Cleveland Clinic: Thanatophobia (fear of death) · NHS: Phobias · Mind: Understanding phobias

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