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Apr 21, 2022 · The symbol's use among Christians had become prevalent by the late 2nd century and spread widely in the 3rd and 4th centuries. In early Christian history, the Ichthys symbol held "the most sacred significance," and Christians utilized it to identify churches and other believers during a period of persecution in the Roman Empire.
May 19, 2024 · Finally, the Lamb of God is a title for Jesus that is used in Christian theology to refer to Jesus’ sacrificial role. In many Christian expressions, the lamb represents innocence and sacrifice – the very essence of Jesus’ mission on Earth. This symbol reflects the belief that Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, atoning for the sins of humanity.
Mar 22, 2022 · It is the recognizable Christian Fish or Jesus Fish symbol, which resembles a hand-drawn fish that sometimes includes a cross for the eye or the name Jesus in its middle. Although the Christian fish symbol re-emerged in popularity during the 1960s, the symbol known as Ichthys has historical characteristics that attributed to the spread and unity of Christianity long before it was popular in ...
- Staurogram / Tau-Rho. The Staurogram, or Tau-Rho, is a Greek tau (T) combined with a Greek rho (P), and was used in the early church as an abbreviation for the Greek word for cross.
- Peacock. The Ancient Greeks believed that the flesh of peacocks didn’t decompose after death, and so peacocks became a symbol of immortality. Early Christians adopted the symbol to represent their belief in eternal life in heaven with God, and was often depicted with the Tree of Life.
- Pelican. Medieval Europeans believed that pelicans were particularly attentive to their young, even to the point of wounding itself and letting its young drink its blood when no food was available.
- Ichthys. Ichthys is the Greek word for fish, and it was one of the most important early Christian symbols. Not only did fish feature in several miracles of Jesus in the Gospels, but the ichthys was taken as an acrostic for the Greek phrase “Iēsous Christos Theou Hyios Sōtēr,” which means “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.”
- The Cross. The cross is the most popular symbol of Christianity. There are many variations and types of Christian crosses, but the most popular is the Latin cross, featuring a long vertical beam with a shorter horizontal beam closer to the top.
- Christian Fish or “Ichthus” Recognized for its two intersecting arcs tracing the outline of a fish, the ichthys symbol is an acrostic for the Greek phrase ‘Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.’
- Angels. Angels are described as messengers of God, or spiritual beings who were used to deliver messages to his prophets and servants. The word “angel” comes from the Greek word “aggelos” and Hebrew term “malakh” which translate to “messenger.”
- Descending Dove. One of the most widely recognized symbols in Christian faith, the “descending dove” symbol represents the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus during his baptism in the waters of Jordan.
The symbols of our faith speak its truths. We hand down these symbols from generation to generation. Fish. During times of persecution the early Christians used a fish as a secret sign of identification. The first letters of each word in the expression “Jesus, Christ, Son of God, Savior” in Greek spell the Greek word for fish (ichthus). Chi-rho
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Catacombs of St. Domitilla, (c. 150-200 AD) a piece of marble with a very early depiction of the Cross blended into another symbol, the anchor. and flanked by two fish, also a Christian symbol, the Ichthus—three symbols in one Christian carving. Anchors resemble a cross.