Famous Christianity Symbols and Their Meanings

2006-08-22 – United States – Texas – Groom – Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ Ministries.jpg Photo by C. G. P. Grey – Wikimedia Commons

Famous Christianity Symbols and Their Meanings

Christian symbolism is the use of symbols that includes archetypes, acts, artwork, or events, in Christianity. It invents objects or actions with an inner meaning expressing Christian ideas. The symbolism of the early Church was characterized by being understood by initiates only. This was after the legalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire during the 4th century more recognizable symbols entered into use.

Christianity has borrowed from the common stock of significant symbols known to most periods and to all regions of the world. Only a minority of Christian denominations have practices Aniconism or the avoidance of types of images. 

1. The Cross and Crucifix

Christ Carrying the Cross MET DT714.jpg Photo by El Greco – Wikimedia Commons

The shape of the cross came to be used as a seal or symbol of Early Christianity by the 2nd century. The cross in this period was represented by the letter T. Clement of Alexandria in the early 3rd century calls it the Lord’s sign. Clement’s contemporary Tertullian also rejects the accusation that Christians are adorers of the gibbet. He returns the accusation by likening the worship of pagan idols to the worship of poles or stakes.

Early Christians used the T-shape to represent the cross in writing and gesture, the use of the Greek cross and Latin cross appears in Christian art towards the end of Late Antiquity. This is an early example of the cruciform halo which was used to identify Christ in paintings. 

The St. Thomas cross was a Greek cross with clover leaf edges. It was popular in southern India and dates back to the 6th century. The Patriarchal cross is a Latin cross with an additional horizontal bar and first appears in the 10th century. The Celtic cross bears a strong resemblance to the Christian cross, it appears in the form of heavily sculpted ancient monoliths which survive in the present day.

Read more about other Christian beliefs here.

2. The Ichthys Symbol

The early Christians employed the fish which seems to have ranked first in importance. Its popularity among Christians was due principally to the famous acrostic consisting of the initial letters of five Greek words forming the word for fish.

It was described as the character of Christ and the claim to worship of believers, Iesous Christos Theou Huios Soter which means to Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour. This explanation is given among others by Augustine in his Civitate Dei.

3. Alpha and Omega Symbols

Alpha und Omega.jpg Photo by Christian Reinboth – Wikimedia Commons

Since the earliest Christianity of the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha, and omega. This derives from the statement said by Jesus himself “I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, The Beginning and the End. This phrase is interpreted by many Christians to mean that Jesus has existed for all eternity and that God is eternal.

The symbols were used in early Christianity and appeared in the Roman catacombs. The letters were shown hanging from the arms of the cross in Early Christian art, and some cruces gemmate. Despite always being in Greek, the letters became more common in Western than Eastern Orthodox Christian art. They are often shown to the left and right of Christ’s head.

4. The Monogrammatic Cross

The Staurogram also known as the Monogrammatic Cross symbol is composed of a tau, T, superimposed on a rho, P. The symbol was first used to abbreviate the Greek word for cross in very early New Testament manuscripts.

In the 4th century explained these two united letters stated that the tau refers to the cross and the rho refers to the Greek word help. In such a way, the symbol expresses the idea that the Cross saves. The two letters tau and rho can also be found separately as symbols on early Christian ossuaries.

The cross was later seen also as a variation of the Chi Rho symbol, and it spread over Western Europe in the 5th and 6th centuries.

Read more about other Christian beliefs here.

5. The Chi Rho

The Chi Rho symbol is formed by superimposing the first two letters chi and rho of the Greek Word, XP, in such a way that produces the monogram. In ancient Christianity, it was the symbol used by the Roman emperor Constantine I as vexillum.

The symbol was used to mark a particularly valuable or relevant passage in the margin of a page. Some coins of Ptolemy III Euergents were marked with a Chi-Rho. 

6. The  IH and IX Monogram

Saint Bernadette Church (Lancaster, Ohio) – stained glass, Christian symbols.jpg Photo by Nheyob – Wikimedia Commons

The first two letters of the name of Jesus in Greek are iota, I, and eta, H. Superimposed one on the other or the numeric value 18 of IH in greek. It was a well-known and very early way to represent Christ. This symbol was already explained in the Epistle of Barnabas and by Clement of Alexandria.

The IX monograms were the most common of the symbolic representations of Christ found in the Catacombs of Rome, and it is related to the Parable of the Lost Sheep. It was initially understood as a symbol like others used in Early Christian art.

Read more about other Christian beliefs here.

7. The Dove Symbol

Dove the symbol of peace.jpg Photo by Shree650 – Wikimedia Commons

The dove is a Christian symbol of frequent occurrence in ancient ecclesiastical art.  According to Mathew 3:16, during the Baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and came to rest o Jesus. For this reason, the dove became a symbol of the Holy Spirit. In general, it occurs frequently in connection with early representations of baptism and it signifies the Christian soul.

The more ancient explanation of the dove as a Christian symbol refers to it as a symbol of Christ. In the 2nd century, it is explained that the number 801 is both the numerological value of the sum in Greek of the letters of the word dove and the sum of the values of the letters Alpha and Omega which refers to Christ.

8. The Peacock Symbol

Ancient Greeks believed that it was the symbol of immortality. This symbolism was adopted by early Christianity, and thus many early Christian paintings and mosaics. The peacock is still used in the Easter season, especially in the east. The eyes in the peacock’s tail feathers symbolize the all-seeing God and the Church.

Many believe that the peacock can also symbolize the cosmos if one interprets its tail with its many eyes as the vault of heaven dotted by the sun, moon, and stars. However, in Christian iconography, the peacock is often depicted next to the Tree of Life.

9. The Pelican

In medieval Europe, the pelican was thought to be particularly attentive to her young, to the point of providing her own blood by wounding her own breast when no other food was available. The pelican then became a symbol of the Passion of Jesus and of the Eucharist since about the 12th century.

10. The Anchored Cross

The anchored cross also known as the mariner’s cross was adopted by Christians as a symbol of hope for future existence because the anchor was regarded in ancient times as a symbol of safety. For Christians, Christ is the unfailing hope of all who believe in him. 

The most common form of anchor found in early Christian images was that in which one extremity terminates in a ring adjoining the cross-bar while the other ends in two curved branches or an arrowhead. In general, the anchor can symbolize hope, steadfastness, calm, and composure.

Read more about other Christian beliefs here.