In this article we want to bring you closer to Christian symbology so that you can never again say that you don’t know its meanings.
Read on to discover a list of some of the most important Christian symbols along with their origin, meaning and use. Most of them have a very ancient origin, in the first Christian communities and are a symbol of identity of our religion.
Christian biblical symbols with explanation
Alpha and Omega
These two letters begin and end the Greek alphabet. Because of their position in the alphabet they take on a special meaning, indicating the beginning and the end. The Bible verse that popularized this meaning for the letters was Revelation 1:8 of St. John which reads:
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
As can be understood from these words, God is eternal and goes beyond our temporal conception. This reference appears in numerous works of art, where Alpha and Omega are arranged next to representations of God.
It is known that these Greek letters took on this meaning around the fourth century, just when Christianity began to be legalized and became the main religion of the European population.
In the following images you will see the symbols in question. The pair on the left are uppercase Alpha and Omega in this order and those on the right, their respective lowercase.
Crucifix
It represents the acronym XP, the first two letters of the name of Christ in Greek.
This symbol was popularized after the Edict of Milan in which the Roman Empire legalized Christianity and adopted it as the main religion. It is not clear why, but the emperor Constantine began to use this symbol on Roman coins and his military standards.
Today it is a symbol in disuse, although it can be found in works of art and church decorations and is often accompanied by Alpha and Omega that we have shown you before.
Christian Cross
This is the best known symbol of the Christian religion and perhaps of the world. There are few people who do not identify Christianity with this symbol and that is why it has become a symbol that represents us and unites us as children of God.
Although for the average population it is only a symbol that represents Christianity and the Church, Christians know that it has a deeper meaning, being the representation of the sins of humanity that led Jesus Christ to die crucified for us.
This is the most commonly used cross that represents Christianity in general, but there are many variants and modifications that, as we will see below, have been used throughout history for different situations, communities and times.
We must point out that the first Christians did NOT have this symbol in their ideology, since they associated it with the macabre torture and subsequent execution suffered by Jesus and many of his followers. It was not until well into the second century that the Christian communities, less persecuted, began to identify with the cross that later became the most important symbol of our religion.
St. Andrew’s Cross
It is a symbol of humility and suffering.
Its name is given because traditionally, it is said that St. Andrew was crucified on a cross that way and abandoned there to his fate for three days facing hunger, cold and pain. In this difficult situation, the saint dedicated himself to preaching religion to anyone who approached him without ever renouncing his beliefs.
You are probably familiar with the symbol because it is used in many flags of countries such as Jamaica or regions such as Scotland, Basque Country or Tenerife.
Other 10 Crosses and their meanings
The anchor
Although little known, the anchor symbol had the same importance as the cross in the early years of the Church. Its relationship with the Bible is given by a verse from the letter to the Hebrews, specifically Hebrews 6:18-19:
18
So that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have come to take hold of the hope set before us may have the strongest consolation.
19
Which we have as a sure and firm anchor of the soul, and which penetrates even into the veil,
In this fragment the anchor is used as a symbol of faith and hope in the resurrection, and the first Christian communities attributed this meaning to it. The anchor is also frequently mixed with the cross forming the cross anchor referring to the passion of Christ.
The fish
The fish symbol or ichtus in Greek is the first symbol used by Christians according to the evidence we have.
Apart from the meaning just mentioned for the word ichtus, in Greek it is also an acronym for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior”, thus endowing the word and the symbol with a profound meaning.
The fish is a very recurrent element in the Bible, since it appears on numerous occasions in the Old and New Testament, intimately related to Jesus’ miracles, such as the miraculous catch of fish or the multiplication of loaves and fishes.
Another fish-related event in the Gospels is when the parable of the fishers of men is enacted in the Gospels of John and Matthew.
This symbol was a secret created by the first Christian communities, since they could not openly profess their faith. Today it is used by many Christians publicly to show the world the joy of being a Christian and being part of this wonderful community.
The pigeon
The dove, apart from being the symbol of world peace, appears countless times in the gospel, usually representing the Holy Spirit.
The first appearance we find is when Noah sends one to find dry land after the universal flood, and it returns with an olive branch in its beak, being a symbol of hope and light in difficult times.
It also appears at the baptism of Jesus, resting on him and symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Today, in Christian baptisms, the baptized is accompanied by a Syrian, confirming the relationship between the dove and the light we were talking about.
The Crown of Thorns
This Christian symbol has 2 meanings:
- The Passion of Christ.
- Sins and negative feelings such as pain, suffering, etc. through the thorns.
We can find several references within the Bible texts. We leave you with a clear example from Matthew (27:29):
29 And they put a crown woven with thorns on his head, and a reed in his right hand, and bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
Bread and Wine
Probably the most beautiful symbol of our religion, since it represents Jesus Christ giving himself to us. It is also a symbol of reunion and love among Christians.
Our Lord used these foods at the Last Supper, where He gave them the significance of being His body and blood. Since then, Christianity celebrates its ceremonies around this gesture, distributing bread and wine in the Eucharist after hearing the word of God.
The Lily Flower
This symbol represents the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). It is also a symbol associated with the Virgin Mary adopted by the Roman Catholic Church.
Even if we have always been Christians and we know the word of God very well, surely there are many symbols that we have seen many times and of which we do not know their meaning or we know it only in part. With this article we hope to have solved all your doubts.
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