Catholic Symbols

List of Catholic Symbols and Meaning

Since the earliest times, the concept of symbolism has appeared in every human culture, social structure and religious system. Signs and symbols play a vital role in all of the world's religions as object on which thoughts and prayers can be focused.

Symbols point a way through the spiritual world, they act as badges of faith, teaching tools and aids on the journey towards an understanding of complex philosophies.

Crucifix

The crucifix is a Cross with the figure of the body of Jesus Christ attached to it. This is a very common Catholic symbol. it is placed on or above the altar where the Eucharist is celebrated.

A crucifix often has the letters INRI written across the top.

These letters are short for a Latin phrase which translates as "Jesus ofNazareth, King of the Jews."

These are the words in which Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea ordered to be written over the cross in which Jesus Christ was crucified.

A crucifix is a symbol of sacrifice.

Alpha and Omega

These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.

In the book of revelation 22:13, Christ refers himself as the Alpha and the Omega, that is the first and the last.

Christ is the beginning and the end of all creation. The Alpha and Omega symbols are used at various times in the Church liturgical year.

The Cross

The most famous and widespread Christian symbol is the Cross. It is found wherever there is a Christian presence.

In Roman times, the Cross was seen as an instrument of torture and public humilation. Criminals were put to death on cross.

For Christians however, the Cross became a symbol not only of Jesus' death but also of his Resurrection

The Sacred Heart

The Sacred Heart is a symbol of the love of Jesus for all of humanity.

The heart is a symbol of love. When depicted as the Sacred Heart it is shown as pierced with a cross and thorns twisted around it.

This shows the depth of Jesus love. He was prepared to suffer and die for all people. His love is eternal.

IHS and Chi-Rho

The letters IHS often appear on liturgical items, building plaques and gravestones and sacred vessels. IHSis a shortened form of the Greek word for Jesus.

The letters X and P are often used as another symbol for "Christ". The first two letters of Christ's name in Greek are X and P. In the Greek alphabet X equals CH and P equalsR.

Also known as the CHi-RHO cross, the letters are usually inscribed one over the other sometimes enclosed within a circle becoming both a cosmic and a solar symbol.

The Fish

One of the oldest Christian symbols was the fish. It was used by Christians to identify themselves, often in times of persecution. It is often found in the Roman catacombs, secret meeting place when the Christians were persecuted by the Romans for their faith.

It is based on the acrostic, of the initial letters of the Greek words for Jesus Christ. To understand this symbol you need to know what is the meaning of the acronym.

The Greek word for fish is ICHTHUS. This is an acronym for Jesus. Iesous CHristosTHeou Uios Soter - this translates as "Jesus Christ, Son of God , Saviour."

Christ also referred to his apostles as "Fishers of Men" while the early Christian fathers called the faithful pisculi (fish).

-Timbal K