Christian symbolism Wikipedia. Christian symbolism is the use of symbols, including archetypes, acts, artwork or events, by Christianity. It invests objects or actions with an inner meaning expressing Christian ideas. The symbolism of the early Church was characterized by being understood by initiates only,1 while after the legalization of Christianity in the 4th century more recognizable symbols entered in use. Christianity has borrowed from the common stock of significant symbols known to most periods and to all regions of the world. Christianity has not generally practiced Aniconism, or the avoidance or prohibition of types of images, even if the early Jewish Christians sects, as well as some modern denominations, preferred to some extent not to use figures in their symbols, by invoking the Decalogues prohibition of idolatry. Early Christian symbolseditCross and crucifixeditThe shape of the cross, as represented by the letter T, came to be used as a seal or symbol of Early Christianity by the 2nd century. At the end of the 2nd century, it is mentioned in the Octavius of Minucius Felix, rejecting the claim by detractors that Christians worship the cross. The cross crucifix, Greek stauros in this period was represented by the letter T. Clement of Alexandria in the early 3rd century calls it the Lords sign he repeats the idea, current as early as the Epistle of Barnabas, that the number 3. Greek numerals, in Genesis 1. T, an upright with crossbar, standing for 3. Jesus, the first two letters of his name, standing for 1. Clements contemporary Tertullian also rejects the accusation that Christians are crucis religiosi i. In his book De Corona, written in 2. Tertullian tells how it was already a tradition for Christians to trace repeatedly on their foreheads the sign of the cross. While early Christians used the T shape to represent the cross in writing and gesture, the use of the Greek cross and Latin cross, i. Christian art towards the end of Late Antiquity. An early example of the cruciform halo, used to identify Christ in paintings, is found in the Miracles of the Loaves and Fishes mosaic of SantApollinare Nuovo, Ravenna dated c. Celtic cross with inscribed symbolism. Instances of the St Thomas cross, a Greek cross with clover leaf edges, popular in southern India,8 date to about the 6th century. The Patriarchal cross, a Latin cross with an additional horizontal bar, first appears in the 1. Although the cross was used as a symbol by early Christians, the crucifix, i. Catacombs of Rome. The purported discovery of the True Cross by Constantines mother, Helena, and the development of Golgotha as a site for pilgrimage led to a change of attitude. It was probably in Palestine that the image developed, and many of the earliest depictions are on the Monza ampullae, small metal flasks for holy oil, that were pilgrims souvenirs from the Holy Land, as well as 5th century ivory reliefs from Italy. In the early medieval period, the plain cross became depicted as the crux gemmata, covered with jewels, as many real early medieval processional crosses in goldsmith work were. The first depictions of crucifixion displaying suffering are believed to have arisen in Byzantine art,1. S shaped slumped body type was developed. Ancient Egypt Symbols of the pharaoh Before your visit Background information The ancient Egyptians used writing to communicate. Early Western examples include the Gero Cross and the reverse of the Cross of Lothair, both from the end of the 1. Marie Madeleine Davy 1. Early christian symbols found in the catacombs including symbology of the ChiRho, anchor, good shepherd, fish, peacock, cross, dove, orante, and funerary inscriptions. I/51SgxsMILCL.jpg' alt='Christian Symbols Pdf' title='Christian Symbols Pdf' />Romanesque Symbolism as it developed in the Middle Ages in Western Europe. Ichthys editAmong the symbols employed by the early Christians, that of the fish 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 Ichthus, which words briefly but clearly described the character of Christ and the claim to worship of believers, Isous Christos Theou Huios Str, meaning, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour. This explanation is given among others by Augustine in his Civitate Dei,1. Alpha and Omega edit. Jesus depicted with the alpha and omega letters in the catacombs of Rome from the 4th century. The use since the earliest Christianity of the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha or and omega or, derives from the statement said by Jesus or God himself I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End Revelation 2. Staurogram editThe Staurogram from the Greek, i. Monogrammatic Cross or Tau Rho symbol, is composed by a tau superimposed on a rho. The Staurogram was first used to abbreviate the Greek word for cross in very early New Testamentmanuscripts such as P6. P4. 5 and P7. 5, almost like a nomen sacrum, and may visually have represented Jesus on the cross. Ephrem the Syrian in the 4th century explained these two united letters stating that the tau refers to the cross, and the rho refers to the Greek word help osic proper spelling o which has the numerological value in Greek of 1. 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 Monogrammatic 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. Chi Rho editThe Chi Rho is formed by superimposing the first two capital letters chi and rho of the Greek word Christ in such a way to produce the monogram. Widespread in ancient Christianity, it was the symbol used by the Roman emperor. Constantine I as vexillum named Labarum. IH Monogram editThe first two letters of the name of Jesus in Greek, iota and eta, sometime superimposed one on the other, or the numeric value 1. Greek, 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. For other christograms such as IHS, see Article Christogram. 2 5 9 Cracked. IX Monogram editAn early form of the monogram of Christ, found in early Christian ossuaries in Palestinia, was formed by superimposing the first capital letters of the Greek words for Jesus and Christ, i. Jesus Christ. 1. Another more complicated explanation of this monogram was given by Irenaeus1. Pachomius because the numeric value of iota is 1. Software Companies Hyderabad Hitech City List'>Software Companies Hyderabad Hitech City List. Christ Greek sic proper spelling which has 8 letters, these early fathers calculate 8. Jesus, being the sum of the value of the letters of the name Jesus 1. Other Christian symbolseditThe Good ShepherdeditThe image of the Good Shepherd, often with a sheep on his shoulders, is 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. Initially it was also understood as a symbol like others used in Early Christian art. By about the 5th century the figure more often took on the appearance of the conventional depiction of Christ, as it had developed by this time, and was given a halo and rich robes. The dove as a Christian symbol is of very frequent occurrence in ancient ecclesiastical art. According to Matthew 3 1. Baptism of Jesus the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and came to rest on Jesus.