Symbols of our Faith

	Symbols Of Our Faith

The Christian community possesses a rich treasury of symbols that help convey the Christian message.
Jesus Himself used symbolism in his teaching as he roamed about Galilee.  The bread and wine were symbolic objects; the Good Shepard served as a symbolic image; and the washing of the disciples' feet was a deeply symbolic gesture.  Literally scores of symbols serve today to communicate the Gospels' Good News.  A sampling of these symbols are described below:

Cross

Of all the symbols of Christ, perhaps the most familiar is the Cross.  The empty cross, favored by Protestant churches, emphasizes the risen and victorious Christ.
Of the hundreds of forms of the cross, about 50 are used in Christian symbolism.

IHS

The IHS represents the first three letters; Iota Eta, Sigma, of the Greek spelling of Jesus.

Lamb
The sacrificial role of Christ is symbolized by the Lamb of God.
John the Baptist emphasized this aspect of Jesus when he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world".   Those early Christians who faced such harsh persecution found this image of the suffering servant especially meaningful.  The Lamb with its three-rayed nimbus signifies the Trinity.

Fish
The fish, an ancient symbol of Christ as the Savior, served as a secret sign by which these early persecuted Christians identified themselves as believers in Jesus.  IXOYC, the initials for the Greek words for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior" spell "fish" in Greek.  The first creed of the church.

Butterfly
Christ's resurrection and eternal life are recalled by the butterfly.  The pupa in its cocoon reminds us of the body of Christ in the grave.  The emergence of the beautiful butterfly signifies Christ's victory over death and the grave.  Just as Jesus Christ was born to a new life, so shall his followers be reborn.

Candles
Christ is the light of the world is suggested by the candle.  Two candlesticks are often used on the altar to illustrate the two natures of Christ -- human and devine.

Trinity

The three interlocking circles portray the equality and unity of the three members of the Trinity.   The eternal nature of the Triune God is symbolized by the circle -- complete without a beginning or end.

Dove
The most familiar representation of the Holy Spirit is the dove hoving over the water at Creation and above Jesus at his baptism.  The presence of the three-rayed nimbus distinguishes this image from the dove of peace which is used by non-Christian groups.  The Christian dove of peace is the Holy Spirit.

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		Of all the symbols of Christ, perhaps the most familiar is the Cross. The empty cross, favored by Protestant churches, emphasizes the risen and victorious Christ. Of the hundreds of forms of the cross, about 50 are used in Christian symbolism.
		The IHS represents the first three letters; Iota Eta, Sigma, of the Greek spelling of Jesus.
		The sacrificial role of Christ is symbolized by the Lamb of God. John the Baptist emphasized this aspect of Jesus when he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". Those early Christians who faced such harsh persecution found this image of the suffering servant especially meaningful. The Lamb with its three-rayed nimbus signifies the Trinity.
		The fish, an ancient symbol of Christ as the Savior, served as a secret sign by which these early persecuted Christians identified themselves as believers in Jesus. IXOYC, the initials for the Greek words for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior" spell "fish" in Greek. The first creed of the church.
		Christ's resurrection and eternal life are recalled by the butterfly. The pupa in its cocoon reminds us of the body of Christ in the grave. The emergence of the beautiful butterfly signifies Christ's victory over death and the grave. Just as Jesus Christ was born to a new life, so shall his followers be reborn.
		Christ is the light of the world is suggested by the candle. Two candlesticks are often used on the altar to illustrate the two natures of Christ -- human and devine.
		The three interlocking circles portray the equality and unity of the three members of the Trinity. The eternal nature of the Triune God is symbolized by the circle -- complete without a beginning or end.
		The most familiar representation of the Holy Spirit is the dove hoving over the water at Creation and above Jesus at his baptism. The presence of the three-rayed nimbus distinguishes this image from the dove of peace which is used by non-Christian groups. The Christian dove of peace is the Holy Spirit.