Church symbols. Symbols of Christianity

You can come to an understanding of Christianity by deciphering its symbols. They can be used to trace both its history and the development of spiritual thought.

1. Eight-pointed cross

The eight-pointed cross is also called the Orthodox cross or the cross of St. Lazarus. The smallest crossbar denotes the title, where it was written "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews", the upper end of the cross - the way to Heavenly kingdomthat Christ showed. The seven-pointed cross is a variation orthodox crosswhere the titlo is attached not across the cross, but on top.

2. Ship

The ship is an ancient Christian symbol that symbolized the church and each individual believer. Crosses with a crescent moon, which can be seen in many churches, just depict such a ship, where the cross is a sail.

3. Calvary cross

The cross-Calvary is monastic (or schematic). It symbolizes the sacrifice of Christ. Widespread in ancient times, now the cross-Golgotha \u200b\u200bis embroidered only on paraman and analava.

4. Vine
The vine is the gospel image of Christ. This symbol has its own meaning for the Church: its members are branches, and grapes are a symbol of Communion. In the New Testament, the vine is the symbol of Paradise.

5. Ichthis

Ichthis (from other Greek - fish) is an ancient monogram of the name of Christ, consisting of the first letters of the words "Jesus Christ the Son of God Savior". Often depicted allegorically - in the form of a fish. Ichthis was also a secret identification mark among Christians.

6. Dove

The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Also - a symbol of peace, truth and innocence. Often 12 doves symbolize the 12 apostles. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are also often depicted as doves. The dove that brought the olive branch to Noah marked the end of the Flood.

7. Lamb

The Lamb is an Old Testament symbol of Christ's sacrifice. Also, the Lamb is a symbol of the Savior himself, this refers the faithful to the mystery of the Sacrifice of the Cross.

8. Anchor

The anchor is a hidden image of the Cross. He is also a symbol of hope for the future Resurrection. Therefore, the image of the anchor is often found in the burial places of ancient Christians.

9. Chrism

Chrism is a monogram of the name of Christ. The monogram consists of the initial letters X and P, on the sides of which the letters α and ω are often written. Chrism became widespread in Apostolic times and was depicted on the military standard of the Emperor Constantine the Great.

10. Crown of thorns Crown of thorns - a symbol of the suffering of Christ, is often depicted on crucifixes.

11. IHS

IHS is another popular monogram for the name of Christ. These are the three letters of the Greek name for Jesus. But with the decline of Greece, other, Latin, monograms with the name of the Savior began to appear, often in combination with a cross.

12. Triangle

The triangle is a symbol of the Holy Trinity. Each side represents the Hypostasis of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All sides are equal, and together form a single whole.

13. Arrows

Arrows or a ray piercing the heart - an allusion to the statement of St. Augustine in Confessions. Three arrows piercing the heart symbolize the prophecy of Simeon.

14. Skull

The skull or Adam's head is equally both a symbol of death and a symbol of victory over it. According to Holy Tradition, Adam's ashes were on Calvary when Christ was crucified. The blood of the savior, having washed Adam's skull, symbolically washed all of humanity and gave him a chance for salvation.

15. Eagle

The eagle is a symbol of ascension. He is a symbol of the soul seeking God. Often - a symbol of new life, justice, courage and faith. Also, the eagle symbolizes the evangelist Jaonna.

16. All-seeing eye

The Eye of the Lord is a symbol of omniscience, omniscience and wisdom. Usually it is depicted inscribed in a triangle - the symbol of the Trinity. Can also symbolize hope.

17. Seraphim

Seraphim are the angels closest to God. They are six-winged and carry fiery swords, and can have from one to 16 faces. As a symbol, they mean the purifying fire of the spirit, divine heat and love.

18. Eight-pointed star
The eight-pointed or Bethlehem star is a symbol of the birth of Christ. In different centuries, the number of rays changed, until, finally, it reached eight. It is also called the Mother of God Star.

19. Nine-pointed star The symbol originated around the 5th century AD. The nine rays of the star symbolize the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit.

20. Bread

The bread is a reference to the biblical episode when five thousand people were fed with five loaves. Bread is depicted in the form of ears (the sheaves symbolize the gathering of the apostles) or in the form of bread for communion.

21. The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd is a symbolic image of Jesus. The source of this image is the Gospel parable, where Christ himself calls himself a shepherd. Christ is depicted as an ancient shepherd, sometimes carrying a lamb (lamb) on his shoulders. This symbol is deeply penetrated and entrenched in Christianity, parishioners are often called the flock, and priests - shepherds.

22. Burning bush

In the Pentateuch, the Burning Bush is a thorny bush that burns but does not burn. In his image, God appeared to Moses, calling him to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. The burning bush is also a symbol of the Mother of God, who was touched by the Holy Spirit.

23. Leo

Leo is a symbol of vigilance and Resurrection, and one of the symbols of Christ. He is also a symbol of the Evangelist Mark, and is associated with the power and royal dignity of Christ.

24. Taurus

Taurus (bull or ox) is the symbol of the Evangelist Luke. Taurus means the sacrificial service of the Savior, his sacrifice on the Cross. Also, the ox is considered a symbol of all martyrs.

25. Angel

The angel symbolizes the human nature of Christ, his earthly incarnation. It is also a symbol of the Evangelist Matthew.

THE MEANING OF ANCIENT CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS,
IMAGED AROUND THE ST. Ilyinsky TEMPLE.
The earliest Christian symbolic images date back to the first persecution of the Church in the Roman Empire.
Floor mosaics from the times of Constantine and Helena in the Basilica of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem.

Then the symbolism was used primarily as a cryptogram, secret writing, so that co-religionists could recognize each other in a hostile environment. However, the meaning of the symbols was entirely due to religious experiences; thus, it can be argued that they brought to us the theology of the early Church. Lamb, Cross, vine, basket of bread, bowl, dove, Good Shepherd, lily, peacock, fish, phoenix, anchor, pelican, eagle, chrism, rooster, lion, olive branch, alpha and omega - these are the most common early Christian symbols.

Mosaic floor with the image of grape leaves and bunches bearing the Eucharistic meaning, in addition to which are the images of the Eucharistic bowls and next to them pomegranate fruits - one of the variants of the fruit of the Tree of Life.

The symbolism of early Christian art is much deeper than simple encrypted images, these images were a kind of visual sermon for Christians, like the parables that biblical prophets resorted to and Jesus Christ often addressed in his conversations.
In 2012, during the improvement work on the territory of Ilyinsky Mountain, ancient Christian symbols were depicted using decorative paving from the western and eastern, northern and southern sides of St. Ilyinsky Church: lily, chrism, fish and an anchor. What do they mean?
The lily depicted in decorative paving in front of the entrance to the temple is a symbol of innocence and purity, a symbol of a soul loving God. The Book of Song of Songs says that the Old Testament temple of Solomon was decorated with lilies. According to legend, the Archangel Gabriel on the day of the Annunciation came to the Virgin Mary with a white lily, which has since become a symbol of Her purity, innocence and devotion to God. With the same flower in the Middle Ages, they depicted saints glorified for the purity of their lives. Among the first Christians, lily personified martyrs who remained pure and faithful to Christ, despite severe persecution.
Likewise, we must enter the temple of the Lord with pure and meek hearts, if we want to take part in the Divine Liturgy and worthily partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

CHRISM.

Chrism or Chrismon is a monogram of the word Christ, which means the Anointed One, the Messiah, and which consists of two initial Greek letters of this word "ΧΡΙΣΤὈΣ" - "Χ" (hee) and "Ρ" (ro)superimposed on one another. The Greek letters "a" and "ω" are sometimes placed along the edges of the monogram. This use of these letters goes back to the text of the Apocalypse: "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Rev. 1: 8) .
Coin of Emperor Magnentius with the image of a chrysma.

Chrism became widespread in epigraphy, on the reliefs of sarcophagi, in mosaics, including floor mosaics, and probably dates back to apostolic times. It is possible that its origin is connected with the words of the Apocalypse: "the seal of the living God" (Rev. 7: 2)... Greek monogram name "crisma" (own "anointing", "chrismation")can be translated as "seal".
Monogram of Christ on the floor of the ancient Christian basilica of Chrysopolitissa.

Among the Slavic peoples, the ancient Christian chrism acquired a new meaning, becoming a symbol of the Incarnation or the Nativity of Christ, in the first letters - "P" and "X" - its Slavic spelling.
Chrism on the south side of St. Elias Church in Vyborg

FISH.

Fish is one of the earliest and most common Christian symbols. "Ichthis" (ancient Greek Ἰχθύς - fish) - ancient acronym (monogram) the name of Jesus Christ, consisting of the initial letters of the words: Ίησοὺς Χριστὸς Θεού Ὺιὸς Σωτήρ (Jesus Christ Son of God Savior), that is, it expresses in a concise form the confession of the Christian faith.
The New Testament connects the symbolism of fish with the preaching of the Disciples of Christ, some of whom were fishermen.
At the same time, Christians themselves were often depicted in a symbolic way - in the form of fish. One of the early Church Fathers, Tertullian, wrote: "We, little fish, following our Jesus Christ in water (grace) are born and only by being in it we can be safe."
The symbolic image of a fish also has a Eucharistic meaning. In the oldest part of the Callista catacombs, researchers have found a clear image of a fish carrying a basket of bread and a vessel of wine on its back. This is a Eucharistic symbol denoting the Savior, Who gives people the food of salvation, new life.
An ancient mosaic depicting a stupa with bread and fish, which the Lord fed the suffering, is located in the Altar next to the sacred stone. On the stone, as some researchers of the New Testament suggest, the Savior stood when he blessed the fish and bread before feeding them to the people.

In other catacombs and on tombstones, the image of a fish is often found in combination with other symbols and means the saturation of the people in the desert with bread and fish. (Mark 6: 34-44, Mark 8: 1-9), as well as the meal prepared by the Savior for the Apostles after His Resurrection (John 21: 9-22)on the shore of Lake Tiberias.

Ancient christian fish symbol with oriental
sides of the St. Elias Church in Vyborg

ANCHOR.

In early Christian art, the anchor was a symbol of hope. The source for the emergence of this image was the Epistle to the Jews of St. Apostle Paul, where we can find the following words: "God, desiring more preferentially to show the heirs of the promise of the immutability of His will, used an oath in the medium that ... we who have resorted to take up the present hope, which for the soul is like a safe and strong anchor, and enters into the innermost veil, where the forerunner Jesus entered for us, becoming the High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek "(6: 17-20)... Thus, the anchor is for us an attribute of the personified hope of salvation in Christ Jesus from eternal death.
Floor mosaic of the Naval Cathedral.

Anchor as an ancient Christian symbol of hope on the north side of the St. Elias Church in Vyborg.
Over time, the United undivided Church of Christ, with its conciliar mind 82nd Canon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, rejected the image of the Lamb as a symbol of Christ's Sacrifice on the Cross: the lamb, Christ our God.While honoring the ancient images and canopy, devoted to the Church, as signs and prescriptions of truth, we prefer grace and truth, accepting it as the fulfillment of the law. to represent the lamb that takes away the sins of the world, Christ our God, on icons according to human nature, instead of the old lamb: through this, contemplating the humility of God the Word, we are brought to the remembrance of His life in the flesh, His suffering, and saving death, and in this way the redemption of the world that was accomplished ".
Also, by the 73rd Canon of the same Council, the Church forbade depicting the Life-giving Cross of Christ on earth: "Since the Life-giving Cross has shown us salvation, then it is fitting for us to use every diligence, may due honor be given to that through which we are saved from the ancient fall. bringing him worship by thought, word and feeling, we command: to erase the images of the Cross, traced by some on the earth, so that the sign of our victory would not be offended by the trampling of those who walk ... ".
But, today, when modern media, it would seem, provide inexhaustible opportunities for cognition of their own Faith, from nowhere, unfortunate "zealots" of their own ignorance have appeared, who, from the inflammation of the still unexplored passions of their former life, began to blaspheme the ancient -Christian symbols, falsely claiming that their images on earth are prohibited by the 73rd rule of the Sixth Ecumenical Council. However, as we can see from the text of this rule, the Church prohibits depicting only the Life-giving Cross of Christ on earth, even without mentioning other ancient Christian symbols. Moreover, this rule speaks specifically of the "Life-giving Cross", and not of any other, simple or decorative, cross of lines. Because of the three crosses found by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helen, only one - the Cross of Christ - was Life-giving and worthy of worship. Two other crosses, among which was the cross of the prudent thief, who, according to the Lord's word, entered the heavenly abodes first, were not Life-giving and were not an object of worship for the Church.
Again, if we see the Life-giving Cross of the Lord in any cross-hairs of lines, we will be forced to abandon the use of transport and roads that constantly intersect, as well as sidewalks, which inevitably end with pedestrian crossings at intersections. At the same time, to the great joy of the opponents of our faith, we will be forced to jump like fleas, accidentally finding ourselves in the crosshairs of tile floors in public places.
Therefore, the Church from ancient times, depicting the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, with two additional crossbars and an inscription on them indicates that this cross is not just a decorative cross of lines or ornaments, but is an image Of the Life-giving Cross Christ, by whom we are saved "from the work of the enemy."
As for other ancient Christian symbols, we repeat, the Church has never forbidden their image both on the walls and on the floors of Christian churches, except during the shameful triumph of iconoclasm. Those who, being infected with prideful conceit, contrary to the whole tradition of the One undivided Church, are jealous of their ignorant opinions about the inadmissibility of the image of Christian symbols in Orthodox church building not only on the walls, but also on the ground, are likened to the ancient Pharisees, who, instead of observing the fulfillment of the commandments Of God, they voluntarily accepted to hold on to false piety: "observe the washing of bowls, mugs, cauldrons and benches" (Mark 7: 4).
And those show themselves similar not only to the ancient Pharisees, but also reveal themselves as new iconoclasts, who, being infected with the secret Manichaeism, forgot that everything was created "very good" (Genesis 1:31); and that we are made of the dust of the earth, which until now we "trample" with our feet; and that the Lord, in His Holy Incarnation, took this corporeality of ours from the dust of the earth, joining it to His incorruptible Deity; and that the Lord washed in His Sacraments not only our heads, but also our feet, which was clearly shown by the example of Peter (John 13: 6-10); and that God is not only the God of Heaven, but also of the earth (Revelation 11: 4); and that on the day of the Holy Epiphany we consecrate with holy hagiasma not only the walls of our dwellings, but also "in all places, both stingy, and everywhere the essence is sprinkled, even under our feet"; and that in the age to come, with the glory of which our temples are filled, "God will be all in all" (1 Cor. 15:28) - those who want to take away from us not just splendor, but the wealth of the blessed and salvific symbols that fill our churches, likening them to the sad desolation of Protestant churches.
Moreover, if we follow the logic of these new iconoclasts, then bishop services should be prohibited. Because the bishops of the Church at divine services stand only on eagles, which depict the ancient Christian symbol of an eagle in the radiance of grace and a city with holy temples, and who, according to the fables of the newly-minted iconoclasts, are primates local Churches in "shameful ignorance" of true piety, they "trample" underfoot. But we know that where there is a bishop, there is also a Church, and where there is no bishop, there is no Church. Why should we now leave the Church to please the new iconoclasts? Let it not be!

The saddest thing is that those are false teachers, "Without entering the sheepfold by the door" (John 10: 1), deceive the hearts of the simple-minded and sow division into one Church Body. It will be useful for them to remember well and not to forget a completely different rule of the same Sixth Ecumenical Council, the 64th, which reads: “It is not proper for a layman to utter a word in front of the people, or to teach, and so take upon himself a teacher's dignity, but obey a devotee I order from the Lord, to open the ear to those who have received the grace of the teacher's word, and from them to learn the Divine. For in the one Church God created different members, according to the word of the Apostle, which Gregory the Theologian clearly shows the order that was in them, saying: this, brethren, let us honor the rank, we will keep this one; this one will be the ear, and the other one will be the tongue; this one by the hand, and the other something else; this one, let him teach, he will learn. And after a few words further he says: let the student be in obedience, let the distributor distribute with joy, the servant Let us serve with zeal. Let us not all be with the tongue, If all this is closest, not all the Apostles, not all the prophets, not all the interpreters. And after some words he still says: why do you make yourself a shepherd, being a sheep? by being a foot? Why would you attempt to become a military leader, having been placed in the ranks of the soldiers? And in another place wisdom commands: do not be swift in words; do not prostrate the wretched one with the rich; do not seek the wise, the wisest being. If anyone is found to be violating this rule: for forty days, let him be excommunicated from the communion of the Church. "
Chairman of the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis
Vyborg diocese,
rector of the St. Elias Church in the city of Vyborg
archpriest Igor Viktorovich Aksyonov.

Christian symbolism - a set of symbols and signs used by various Christian churches.

The emergence of Christian symbols

Main article: Symbolic images in the Roman catacombs

Christian painting in the catacombs of Saints Peter and Marcellinus (Joseph Wilpert, colorized black and white photograph, 1903)

Eucharistic bread and fish (catacombs of St. Callistus)

The first Christian symbolic images appear in the painting of the Roman catacombs and belong to the period of the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. During this period, the symbols were in the nature of cryptography, allowing fellow believers to recognize each other, but the meaning of the symbols already reflects the emerging Christian theology. Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann notes:

L. A. Uspensky associates the active use in the ancient Church of various symbols, rather than icon-painting images, with the fact that “ in order to gradually prepare people for the truly incomprehensible mystery of the Incarnation, the Church first addressed them in a language more acceptable to them than a direct image". Also, symbolic images, in his opinion, were used as a way to hide the Christian sacraments from the catechumens before the time of their baptism. So Cyril of Jerusalem wrote: “ everyone is allowed to hear the gospel, but the glory of the gospel is given to only sincere servants of Christ. To those who could not listen, the Lord spoke in parables, and to the disciples alone he explained parables».

The most ancient catacomb images include the scenes of "Adoration of the Magi" (about 12 frescoes with this subject have survived), which date back to the 2nd century. Also, the appearance in the catacombs of images of the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ or the fish symbolizing it dates back to the II century. Among other symbols of catacomb painting, stand out:

anchor is an image of hope (the anchor is the support of the ship at sea, hope is the support of the soul in Christianity). This image is already present in the Epistle to the Hebrews of the Apostle Paul (Heb. 6: 18-20);
dove - a symbol of the Holy Spirit;
phoenix - a symbol of resurrection;
eagle - a symbol of youth ( "Your youth will be renewed like an eagle" (Psalm 102: 5));
peacock - a symbol of immortality (according to the ancients, his body was not subject to decomposition);
the rooster is a symbol of the resurrection (the cry of the rooster awakens from sleep, and awakening, according to Christians, should remind believers of the Last Judgment and the general resurrection of the dead);
the lamb is a symbol of Jesus Christ;
lion - a symbol of strength and power;
olive branch - a symbol of eternal peace;
lily - a symbol of purity (common due to the influence of apocryphal stories about the presentation of a lily flower by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation);
a vine and a basket of bread are symbols of the Eucharist.

Characteristics of individual symbols

Cross

Golden Visigothic Cross, V-VIII centuries Main articles: Cross in Christianity, Crucifixion (arts and crafts)

Cross (Crucifixion) - the image of the Crucifixion of Christ, as a rule, sculptural or relief. The image of the cross, on which Jesus Christ was crucified, is the main symbol of the Christian religion, it is always present in Christian churches, as well as among believers as a wearable symbol. The prototype of the symbol of the cross is the Cross of the Lord, on which the Son of God was crucified.

In the first centuries, Christians did not make images of the cross. The crucifixes themselves first appear in the 5th-6th centuries, and in the most ancient of them Christ is depicted alive, in robes and crowned with a crown. The crown of thorns, wounds and blood collected in a bowl appear in the late Middle Ages along with other details that have a mystical or symbolic meaning.

Until the 9th century, inclusively, Christ was depicted on the cross not only alive, resurrected, but also triumphant - and only in the 10th century did images of the dead Christ appear.

Ichthis

Ίχθύς (marble stele, early 3rd century)

Ichthis (ancient Greek Ίχθύς - fish) is an ancient acronym (monogram) of the name of Jesus Christ, consisting of the initial letters of the words: Ἰησοὺς Χριστὸς Θεoὺ ῾Υιὸς Σωτήρ (Jesus Christ the Son of God Savior) that is, it expresses in a short form the confession of the Christian faith.

The New Testament links fish symbolism with the preaching of Christ's disciples, some of whom were fishermen.

Often depicted in an allegorical way - in the form of a fish. Moreover, the very image of the fish also has a Eucharistic meaning associated with the following meals described in the Gospel:

saturation of the people in the wilderness with bread and fish (Mark 6: 34-44, Mark 8: 1-9);
the meal of Christ and the apostles at Lake Tiberias after his Resurrection (John 21: 9-22).

These plots were often depicted in the catacombs, merging with the Last Supper.

Good shepherd

The Good Shepherd (Catacombs of Saint Callistus, Rome)

Good Shepherd (Greek ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς, ho poimen ho kalos, lat. pastor bonus) - a symbolic naming and image of Jesus Christ, borrowed from the Old Testament and repeated by Christ in the New Testament in an allegorical description of his role as a teacher (John 10: 11-16).

The Good Shepherd was essentially not an icon of Jesus, but an allegorical image. For this reason, he, together with ichthys, he became the first image of Christ in early Christian art. Also, due to the similarity with the images of pagan deities (Hermes Kriophoros, Orpheus Boukolos), it was safe during the years of persecution, since it did not contain an obvious Christian theme and could not betray the owner, a secret Christian. At the same time, under the conditions of persecution against Christianity, the image expressed the idea of \u200b\u200bspecial protection for the elect and a prototype of the coming Kingdom of God.

Lamb

The image of the lamb is also a symbolic image of Jesus Christ and represents the Old Testament prototype of his sacrifice on the cross (the sacrifice of Abel, the sacrifice of Abraham, the Passover sacrificial lamb among the Jews). In the New Testament, John the Baptist calls Jesus Christ a lamb - "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). The lamb is also a Eucharistic image (in Orthodoxy, the lamb is a part of the prosphora, which the believers receive communion with) and its images are found on liturgical vessels.

Lamb of God (mosaic of the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna)

The image of a lamb in early Christianity was widely used as a symbol of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, which was convenient because it was incomprehensible to non-Christians. With the spread of Christianity, the use of this image was prohibited by the Sixth Ecumenical Council:

Chrism

Main article: Chrism

Monogram of the name of Christ surrounded by vines (sarcophagus of the 6th century)

Chrism or chrismon (Hi-Ro) - a monogram of the name of Christ, which consists of two initial Greek letters of the name (Greek ΧΡΙΣΤΌΣ) - Χ (hee) and Ρ (ro) crossed among themselves. Greek letters are placed at the edges of the monogram Α and ω ... This use of these letters goes back to the text of the Apocalypse: "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Rev. 1: 8; see also Rev. 22:13). Chrism became widespread in epigraphy, on reliefs of sarcophagi, in mosaics, and probably dates back to apostolic times. It is possible that its origin is connected with the words of the Apocalypse: "Seal of the living God" (Rev. 7: 2).

Historically, the most famous use of chrismon for labarum (lat. Labarum) - an ancient Roman military standard (vexillum) of a special type. Emperor Constantine the Great introduced him to the troops after he saw the sign of the Cross in the sky on the eve of the battle at the Milvian bridge (312). Labarum had chrismas at the end of the shaft, and on the panel itself there was an inscription: lat. "Hoc vince" (Glory. "By this, conquer," lit. "By this, conquer"). The first mention of labarum is found in Lactantius (d. C. 320).

Alpha and Omega

Main article: Alpha and Omega

Cross

This term has other meanings, see Cross (disambiguation).

Some types of crosses. Illustration from the book Lexikon der gesamten Technik (1904) by von Otto Lueger

Cross (praslav. * krьstъ< д.-в.-н. krist) - geometric figureconsisting of two or more intersecting lines or rectangles. The angle between them is most often 90 °. In many beliefs, it carries a sacred meaning.

History of the cross

Cross in paganism

The symbol of the Sun god Ashur in Assyria

The symbol of the sun god Ashur and the moon god Sina in Mesopotamia

The first civilized people to widely use crosses were the ancient Egyptians. In the Egyptian tradition, there was a cross with a ring, ankh, a symbol of life and gods. In Babylon, the cross was considered a symbol of Anu - the god of heaven. In Assyria, which was originally a colony of Babylon (in the second millennium BC), a cross enclosed in a ring (symbolizing the Sun, more often a lunar crescent was depicted under it) was one of the attributes of the god Ashur - the sun god.

The fact that the symbol of the cross was used in various forms of pagan worship of the forces of nature before the advent of Christianity is confirmed by archaeological finds practically throughout Europe, in India, Syria, Persia, Egypt, in Northern and South America... So, for example, in ancient India, the cross was depicted above the head of a figure killing children, and on the hands of the god Krishna, and in South America, the Muisks believed that the cross expelled evil spirits, and they put babies under it. And until now, the cross serves as a religious symbol in countries that are not influenced by Christian churches. For example, among the Tengrians, who already before the new era professed faith in the God of Heavenly Tengri, there was a sign "aji" - a symbol of obedience in the form of a cross applied to the forehead with paint or in the form of a tattoo.

The acquaintance of Christians with pagan symbolism as early as the first centuries of Christianity caused various comments about common symbols. So, Socrates Scholastic describes events during the reign of Theodosius:

During the destruction and cleansing of the Serapis temple, so-called hieroglyphic letters were found in it, carved on stones, between which there were signs in the form of crosses. Seeing such signs, Christians and pagans alike adopted their own religion. Christians argued that they belong to the Christian faith, because the cross was considered a sign of Christ's saving suffering, and the pagans argued that such cross-shaped signs are common to both Christ and Serapis, although they have a different meaning among Christians and differently among pagans. Meanwhile, as this dispute was taking place, some who turned to Christianity from paganism and understood hieroglyphic writing, interpreted those cruciform signs and announced that they denote a future life. According to this explanation, Christians began to attribute them even more confidently to their religion and to be exalted before the pagans. When it was revealed from other hieroglyphic writings that while the sign of the cross signifying new life would appear, the temple of Serapis would come to an end, then very many pagans turned to Christianity, confessed their sins and were baptized. This is what I heard about those cruciform styles. However, I do not think that the Egyptian priests, tracing the image of the cross, could know anything about Christ, for if the secret of his coming into the world, according to the word of the Apostle (Col. 1:26), was hidden from time to time and from birth and is unknown to the very chief of malice, the devil, the less could it be known to his servants - the Egyptian priests. By the discovery and explanation of these letters, Providence did the same that it had previously shown on the Apostle Paul, for this Apostle, wise by the Spirit of God, in the same way led many Athenians to faith, when he read the inscription inscribed on the church and adapted it to his sermon. Is it not possible that someone will say that the word of God was proclaimed in the Egyptian priests exactly as once in the mouths of Balaam and Caiaphas, who prophesied good against their will.

Cross in Christianity

Main article: Cross in Christianity

Graphic types of crosses

Fig. Name Note


	Ankh	Ancient Egyptian cross. Life symbol.
	Celtic cross	Equal-beam cross with a circle. It is a characteristic symbol of Celtic Christianity, although it has more ancient pagan roots. Nowadays, it is often used as a symbol of neo-Nazi movements.
	Sun cross	Graphically represents a cross inside a circle. It is found on objects of prehistoric Europe, especially in the Neolithic and Bronze Age.
	Greek cross	The Greek cross is a cross that has lines equal length, are perpendicular to each other and intersect in the middle.
	Latin cross	Latin cross (lat. Crux immissa, Crux capitata) is called such a cross, in which the transverse line is divided by a vertical line in half, and the transverse line is above the middle of the vertical line. Usually he is associated with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, that is, thereby, with Christianity in general. Before Jesus, this symbol was designated, among other things, the staff of Apollo - the sun god, the son of Zeus. Since the fourth century AD, the Latin cross has become what it is associated with today - a symbol of Christianity. Today he is also associated with death, guilt ( carry the cross), in addition - with resurrection, rebirth, salvation and eternal life (after death). In genealogy, the Latin cross denotes death and the date of death. In Russia, among the Orthodox, the Latin cross was often considered imperfect and was contemptuously called “ kryzh"(From Polish. krzyz - cross, and associated with flap - cut, chop off).
	Saint Peter's Cross / Inverted Cross	The cross of the Apostle Peter is called an inverted Latin cross. The Apostle Peter was martyred in 67 AD through crucifixion upside down.
	Cross of the Evangelists	Symbolic designation of the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
	Arkhangelsk cross	Archangel's cross (cross of Calvary, lat. Golgata cross) denoted a special cross.
‡	Double cross	Double six-pointed cross with equal crossbeams.
	Lorraine cross	Cross of Lorraine (fr. Croix de lorraine) - a cross with two crossbars. Sometimes called patriarchal cross or archdiocese cross... Denotes the rank of cardinal or archbishop in the Catholic Church. This cross is also cross of Greece orthodox Church .
	Papal cross	A variation of the Latin cross, but with three crossbars. Sometimes such a cross is called western triple cross.
	Orthodox cross	Orthodox Christian cross, which is most often used by the Russian and Serbian Orthodox churches; contains, in addition to a large horizontal crossbeam, two more. The upper one symbolizes a tablet on the cross of Christ with the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" (INCI, or INRI in Latin). NIKA - Winner. The lower oblique crossbar - a support for the feet of Jesus Christ, symbolizes the "righteous measure" weighing the sins and virtues of all people. It is believed that it is tilted to the left, symbolizing the fact that the repentant robber crucified on the right side of Christ (first) went to heaven, and the robber crucified on the left, with his blasphemy against Christ, further aggravated his posthumous fate and ended up in hell. The letters IC XC are the Christogram symbolizing the name of Jesus Christ. Also, on some Christian crosses, a skull or a skull with bones (Adam's head) is depicted below, symbolizing the fallen Adam (including his descendants), since, according to legend, the remains of Adam and Eve were buried under the crucifixion site - Golgotha. Thus, the blood of the crucified Christ symbolically washed the bones of Adam and washed away the original sin from them and from all his descendants.
	Byzantine cross
	Lalibela's cross	The Lalibela Cross is a symbol of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian people and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
	Armenian cross	The Armenian cross is a cross with decorative elements on the beams (sometimes of unequal length). Crosses of similar shape (with trefoil-square ends, etc.) have been used since the beginning of the 18th century in the coat of arms of the Armenian Catholic Mkhitarist community, which has abodes in Venice and Vienna. See Khachkar.
	St. Andrew's cross	The cross on which the Apostle Andrew the First-Called was crucified, according to legend, was X-shaped.
	Templar cross	The Templar Cross is a sign of the spiritual-knightly order of the Templars, founded in the Holy Land in 1119 by a small group of knights led by Hugh de Payne after the First Crusade. One of the earliest founding of the religious military orders, along with the Hospitallers.
	Novgorod cross	Similar to a Templar cross, incorporating an enlarged circle or diamond shape in the center. A similar form of crosses is common in the lands of ancient Novgorod. In other lands and among other traditions, this form of the cross is rarely used.
	Maltese cross	Maltese cross (lat. Cross of maltese) - a sign of the powerful knightly order of the Hospitallers-Johannites, founded in the 12th century in Palestine. Sometimes referred to as the Cross of St. John or the Cross of St. George. The symbol of the Knights of the Order of Malta became a white eight-pointed cross, the eight ends of which denoted the eight beatitudes awaiting the righteous in the afterlife.
	Shortened gripping cross	Straight equal-pointed cross, a variant of the so-called lat cross. Cross pattee... In this cross, the rays taper towards the center, but, unlike the Maltese cross, they do not have cutouts at the ends. Used, in particular, in the image of the Order of St George, Victoria Cross.
	Bolnisi cross	The type of crosses most widely known and used in Georgia since the 5th century. It is used everywhere along with the cross of St. Nina.
	Teutonic cross	The Cross of the Teutonic Order is a sign of the spiritual knightly Teutonic Order, founded at the end of the 12th century. Centuries later, on the basis of the cross of the Teutonic Order, various versions of the well-known military order of the Iron Cross were created. Also, the Iron Cross is still depicted on military equipment, as an identification mark, flags and pennants of the German Armed Forces.
	Schwarzkreuz (black cross)	Identification mark The armed forces Germany. Known today as the cross of the Bundeswehr army.
	Balkan less often Balkenkreuz, also. bar cross	The second name is due to the use as an identification mark military equipment Germany from 1935 to 1945 [ source not specified 1153 days]
	Swastika, gamma cross or catacomb	Cross with curved ends ("rotating"), directed clockwise or counterclockwise. Ancient and widespread symbol in culture different nations - the swastika was present on weapons, everyday objects, clothes, banners and emblems, it was used in the design of temples and houses. The swastika as a symbol has many meanings, for most peoples they were positive before it was compromised by the Nazis and removed from widespread use. Among the ancient peoples, the swastika was a symbol of the movement of life, the sun, light, prosperity. In particular, the clockwise swastika is an ancient Indian symbol used in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
	Hands of God	Found on one of the vessels of the Przeworsk culture. During the Second World War, due to the presence of the swastika, the vessel was used by the Nazis for propaganda purposes. Today it is used as a religious symbol by Polish neo-pagans.
	Jerusalem cross	Applied to the flag of Georgia.
	Cross of the Order of Christ	The symbol of the spiritual knightly order of Christ.
	Red Cross	The symbol of the Red Cross organization and the ambulance service. The green cross is the symbol of pharmacies. Blue - Veterinary Service.
	Club	The symbol of the suit of clubs (another name for "cross") in a deck of cards. Named for the trefoil cross. The word is borrowed from French, where trefle - clover, in turn from the Latin trifolium - addition tri "three" and folium "leaf".
	Saint Nina's cross	Christian relic, a cross woven from grape vines, which, according to legend, the Mother of God gave to Saint Nina before sending her to Georgia.
	Tau cross or Antonievsky cross	T-shaped cross. Anthony's Cross is a T-shaped cross in honor of Anthony, the founder of Christian monasticism. According to some sources, he lived for 105 years and spent the last 40 years on Mount Kolzim near the Red Sea. The cross of St. Anthony is also known as lat. crux commissa, egyptian or tau cross. Francis of Assisi made this cross his emblem at the beginning of the 13th century.
	Basque cross	Four petals bent in a solstice-like shape. In the Basque Country, there are two versions of the cross, with the direction of rotation clockwise and counterclockwise.
	Cantabrian cross	It is a bifurcated St. Andrew's cross with tops at the ends of the beams.
	Serbian cross	It is a Greek (equilateral) cross, in the corners of which four stylized Ͻ and FROM-shaped flint. It is a symbol of Serbia, the Serbian people and the Serbian Orthodox Church.
	Macedonian cross, Velus cross
	Coptic cross	Represents two intersected lines at right angles with multiplied ends. Three bends at the end represent the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The cross is used by the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt.
	Crossed arrows

Cultural influence

Russian expressions

To take under the cross is an old expression with an unclear meaning (under the godfather's promise to pay, return?) "To take under the cross" means to borrow, without money. It used to be the practice of issuing goods from the store on credit, while an entry was made in the debt book. The poorest part of the population was, as a rule, illiterate and instead of a signature they put a cross.
There is no cross on you - that is, (about someone) shameless.
To bear your cross is to endure difficulties.
To put up a cross (also: Fuck) - (allegorically) to completely do away with something; cross out with an oblique cross (in the form of the letter of the Russian alphabet "Her") - cross out from the number of cases.
Religious procession - a solemn church procession with a large cross, icons and banners around the temple or from one temple to another, or from one place to another.
The sign of the Cross is a prayer gesture in Christianity (to cross yourself) (Also: "Oxtis!" (Call) - "Cross yourself!")
Baptism is a Sacrament in Christianity.
The baptismal name is a baptismal name.
The godfather and godmother is a spiritual parent in Christianity, who, in the course of the sacrament of baptism, takes responsibility before God for the spiritual education and piety of the godson (goddaughter).
Tic-tac-toe is a game, in the old days it was called "heriki" in the form of the letter of the Russian alphabet "Her" in the form of an oblique cross.
To deny is to refuse (originally: to shield yourself with a cross).
Crossbreeding (in biology) - hybridization, one of the methods of plant and animal breeding.

Symbols of Christianity.

Quote from Vladimir_Grinchuv Read it in its entirety into your quote book or community!
Symbols of Christianity

Hurry to accept salvation now.
Jesus is ready to hug you now!
But if you are indifferent to salvation,
A terrible thing will happen: you can be late!

The early Church did not know the icon in its modern dogmatic meaning. The beginning of Christian art - painting of the catacombs - is symbolic. It tends to portray not so much the deity as the function of the deity.

Jesus used symbols when he walked the roads of Palestine. He referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd, Door, Wine and Light of the World. When He taught His disciples, He spoke in parables that were rich in symbolism.
We use symbols in our daily life.

For centuries, Christians have used symbols to express their faith. It is unlikely that anyone who visits a church or takes a religious book will not see any symbols. They help communicate the gospel (evangelism), nurture faith, and create a special atmosphere during worship. They serve us as "road signs" in our earthly journey.

There are many Christian symbols. Some of them are well known, but often even believers (and not just baptized) people do not know what this or that sign was originally intended for.

Cross - Crucifixion is the image of the Crucifixion of Christ, as a rule, sculptural or relief. The image of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified is the main and obligatory symbol of the Christian religion; it is always present in places of worship, as well as among believers at home or as a body decoration. The prototype of the symbol of the cross is the Cross of the Lord, on which Jesus was crucified.

In the first centuries of Christianity, crosses were made without the image of Christ. The crucifixes themselves first appear in the 5th-6th centuries, and in the most ancient of them Christ is depicted alive, in robes and crowned with a crown. The crown of thorns, wounds and blood collected in a bowl appear in the late Middle Ages, along with other details that have a mystical or symbolic meaning. Until the 9th century, inclusively, Christ was depicted on the cross not only alive, resurrected, but also triumphant - and only in the 10th century did images of the dead Christ appear.

Holy Blessed Trinity - In the Afanasyev Creed, we confess: "And the universal Christian faith is as follows: we honor one God in three persons and three persons in one Deity ... one should worship both the trinity in unity and the unity in the trinity." We hear God speaking of Himself in the Scriptures as existing in three hypostases: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but as one Deity in three hypostases. That is why we speak of Him as the Trinity, which means “three in one”.
Triangle serves as a general symbol of the Trinity. Each of its equal sides represents the personality of the Deity. Yet the sides together form a single whole Being. This sign can be found in many different forms, although the meaning of each of them is the same: the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God.
Lamb (lamb) as a symbol came from the Old Testament. The white lamb "without spot and without blemish" was offered by the Jews as a sacrifice to God.

According to legend, one of the two lambs sacrificed by Aaron was adorned with a crown of thorns. The prophets of the Old Testament called the expected Messiah the Lamb of God. The Lamb became a symbol of the redemption, humility and meekness of Christ.

Butterfly - symbol Christ's Resurrection and eternal life for believers.
Libra - a symbol of justice and a symbol of God's just judgment. At the Last Judgment by left hand Christ or directly under his throne, the scene of the weighing of souls, which is conducted by the Archangel Michael, unfolds. He holds a balance in his hand, and on their two bowls there are souls - the righteous (on the right of the archangel) and the sinner (on the left). The soul of the righteous is heavier and outweighs; the sinner's cup is pulled down by the devil. This is how the resurrected who have come to this Judgment are distributed - some to heaven, some to hell.
Vine - a Eucharistic image, as well as a symbol of the people of God, the Church. In the last conversation with his disciples, Jesus said: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser ..."
Water - a symbol of the flowing time and Baptism. No wonder one of the many symbols of Christ is a stream. The very source that flows from under the Tree of Life in paradise is living water. This is said about him in the Gospel: "Whoever drinks the water that I will give him, he will never thirst."
A dove with a green branch is a symbol of modern life, it came from the Old Testament: after the flood, the dove returned to Noah with a green branch in its beak, thus notifying Noah that the water had already come down, and the anger of God was replaced by mercy. Since then, the dove with an olive branch in its beak has become a symbol of peace. A white dove without a branch can represent God's presence and God's blessing.
Two trees : green and withered - the idea of \u200b\u200bgreen trees and withered trees was associated with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life, which stood side by side in the Garden of Eden.
Mirror - a transparent sphere in the hands of an angel with the inscription "IS XP" - a symbol indicating that the angel serves Jesus Christ and is a spirit, but not an anthropomorphic creature.
Keys
Ship depicts a church that guides the believer in a safe way through the stormy waves of the sea of \u200b\u200blife. The cross on the mast symbolizes the message of Christ, which gives authority and direction to the church. The name of the part of the church where the community is located, the nave, means "ship".
Cross with five points - around the cross we outline a circle and as a result we get five points: the point of the autumn equinox, the vernal equinox, the summer solstice, winter solstice and center point. This is the fixed axis around which time moves. Such a visual model provides some insight into the relationship between time and eternity within the framework of Christian culture.
The blood of christ , poured out from his wounds on the cross, has, according to Christian doctrine, redemptive power. Therefore, it was common to depict her pouring abundantly. It can flow onto the skull (of Adam), which lies at the base of the cross. The skull is sometimes depicted upside down, and then the holy blood is collected in it, as in a bowl.
The blood of Christ, as medieval theologians believed, is a real substance, one drop of which would be enough to save the world.
moon and sun - the moon symbolizes the Old Testament, and the sun - the New Testament, and as the moon receives its light from the sun, so the Law (Old Testament) becomes understandable only when it is illuminated by the Gospel (New Testament). Sometimes the sun was symbolized by a star surrounded by tongues of flame, and the moon by a woman's face with a sickle. There are also explanations of the figures of the sun and the moon as indications of the two natures of Christ or as symbols of Christ himself (the sun) and the church (the moon).
Olive branch - a symbol of the establishment of peace between God and man. The olive branch is a symbol of hope and peace.
Nimbus - a halo, a symbol of holiness, glory. Depicted as a circle around the head.
Hourglass
Sink with three drops of water reminds us of baptism when water was poured on us three times in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Ichthis - fish is one of the most widespread symbols of Christ in antiquity. In the oldest part of the Roman catacombs, an image of a fish was found carrying a basket of bread and a vessel of wine on its back. This is a Eucharistic symbol that signifies the Savior, who gives food for salvation and new life.

The Greek word for "fish" is composed of the initial letters of the phrase "Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior." This is the first encrypted creed. The image of a fish was a very convenient sign, since it did not say anything to people who were not initiated into the sacraments of Christianity.

Shamrock clover symbolizes the Trinity, unification, balance, and destruction. It can be symbolically replaced by one large sheet. It is the emblem of St. Patrick and the coat of arms of Ireland.
Candles in the Church are used to this day, due to their symbolism. They denote Christ, who is the Light of the world. The two candles on the altar highlight the two natures of Christ - divine and human. The seven candles in the candelabra behind the altar symbolize the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Phoenix rising from fire , - a symbol of Christ's Resurrection. One unbiblical Greek legend says that the phoenix, a fantastic bird, lived for several hundred years in a row. Then the bird burned up, but rose again from its own ashes and lived for several centuries before its death and "resurrection" were repeated. Christians borrowed the symbol of this pagan myth.
Bowl reminds us of the cup that Christ blessed at the Last Supper and which we share each time at Communion.
Four Evangelists ... The authors of the four Gospels are called evangelists. Their symbols have been around since the early days of the church. The artists were influenced by the vision of the prophet Ezekiel, who saw four creatures supporting the throne of the Lord: "The likeness of their faces is the face of a man and the face of a lion (on the right side of all four of them), and on the left side is the face of a calf (for all four) and the face eagle (all four) ". John saw a similar appearance of four creatures, like a man, a lion, an eagle, and a calf. The winged man represents St. Matthew, as his gospel emphasizes the humanity or human nature of Christ. It begins by listing the human ancestors of Jesus. The winged lion represents St. Mark, as his gospel emphasizes the power and miracles of Jesus. The winged calf represents St. Luke, since his Gospel pays special attention to the death of Jesus on the cross, and the calf was often used as a sacrificial animal. The winged eagle represents St. John, as his gospel emphasizes the divine nature of Christ. The eagle, taller than any other animal, soars to the heavens.
These four symbols represent the main events in the life of Christ: the winged man - His incarnation; the winged calf - His death; winged lion - His resurrection; and the winged eagle is His ascension.
Flames - symbolize the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit. Fire symbolizes spiritual jealousy and can also represent the torments of hell. When a saint is depicted with a flame in his hand, it symbolizes religious fervor.
Anchor - a sign of hope for salvation and a symbol of salvation itself. The seals of the first Christians with the image of the anchor, the monogram of Christ and fish have survived to this day. There are images of an anchor braided by a large fish - a symbol that connects the signs of Christ and salvation. Anchors were used to decorate the wedding rings of Christians, which meant salvation in keeping the spouses faithful for Christ's sake.
Hand - appearing in various forms, is a common symbol of God the Father. The Old Testament often speaks of the hand of God, for example: “In Thy Hand are my days” (Psalm 30, 16). Hand means strength, protection and domination; for example, the Israelites sang to God who saved them from the Egyptian army: “Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified by Strength; Thy right hand, Lord, has struck down the enemy "... We see the hand of God coming out of the cloud and reaching down to bless our people. The hand of God with a circle describes God as Eternal Existing with eternal concern for His people.
Eye - is another common symbol of God the Father. He conveys the message that He sees us: "Behold, the eye of the Lord is over those who fear Him and hope in His mercy." The eye of God signifies the loving care of God and His participation in His creation. He also reminds us that God sees everything we do. Jesus reminds us that God sees us even when no one else sees us: "Pray to your Father, who in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
Chrism - A monogram is usually two or more letters - initials that identify a person.

The early Christians used monograms to show that they belonged to Jesus. IHS is the first two letters and the last letter of the Greek name Jesus, written in Greek capital letters: IHSOYS. "Jesus" means "the Lord saves." The IHS monogram is often written on altars and paraments.

Chi rho - the first two letters of the Greek name for Christ - Xristos. Christ means "Anointed One." Old Testament prophets and kings were anointed by pouring olive oil on their heads to consecrate them to God. Christ was ordained to the ministry (for His earthly mission) at the time of His baptism. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.

Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Jesus is the beginning and end of all things; the world was created through Him and one day He will come again to bring this world to Judgment. Jesus spoke of Himself as Wine, Bread, Door and other symbols. Christian artists have made drawings for centuries to convey the message of Jesus Christ.

God the Father - The hand, appearing in various forms, is a common symbol of God the Father. The Old Testament often speaks of the hand of God, for example: "In Thy Hand are my days." Hand means strength, protection and domination; for example, the Israelites sang to God who saved them from the Egyptian army: “Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified by Power; Thy right hand, O Lord, has struck down the enemy. " We see the hand of God coming out of the cloud and reaching down to bless our people. The hand of God with a circle describes God as Eternal Existing with eternal concern for His people. The eye is another common symbol of God the Father. He conveys the message that He sees us:
"Behold, the eye of the Lord is over them that fear Him, and trust in His mercy." The eye of God signifies the loving care of God and His participation in His creation. He also reminds us that God sees everything we do. Jesus reminds us that God sees us even when no one else sees us: "Pray to your Father, who in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

God the Son - There are many symbols representing God the Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. There are monograms representing His name, crosses representing His crucifixion, and paintings depicting the events of His earthly ministry.

The first known images of the Good Shepherd date back to the 2nd century. This period includes his image in the Roman catacombs (detail of the painting of the crypt of Lucina in the catacombs of St. Callistus, the catacomb of Domitilla. In 210 AD Tertullian testified that he saw the image of the Good Shepherd on the sacrament bowls and lamps. The Good Shepherd was not in fact an icon of Jesus, but acts as an allegorical image. For this reason, he, together with ichthys, he became the first image of Christ in early Christian art. Also, due to the similarity with images of pagan deities, it was safe during the years of persecution, since it did not contain obvious Christian themes and could not to hand over the owner, a secret Christian.At the same time, in the conditions of persecution against Christianity, the image expressed the idea of \u200b\u200bspecial protection of the elect and a prototype of the coming Kingdom of God.

Stork - a symbol of prudence, vigilance, piety and chastity. Since the stork heralds the arrival of spring, it is associated with the Annunciation of Mary - with the good news of the coming of Christ. It is possible that the existing North European belief that a stork brings children to mothers came from the fact that this bird was associated with the Annunciation. In Christianity, it symbolizes purity, piety and resurrection. Although the Bible classifies all stilted birds as "unclean animals," the stork is viewed differently as a symbol of happiness, mainly because it consumes snakes. Thus, he points to Christ and his disciples, who destroyed satanic creatures.
Angel with a fiery sword - a symbol of Divine justice and anger. The Lord God, having expelled our first parents from Paradise after their fall, put a "Cherubim with a fiery sword to guard the way to the tree of life. (Gen. 3.24). In the Revelation of the Evangelist John about the Son of Man it is said:" Out of His mouth came a sharp one on both sides sword".
Angel with a trumpet - a symbol of the resurrection and the last judgment. Christ about the coming of the Son of man says: "He will send his Angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from the end of heaven to the end of them." Similarly, the Apostle Paul says about the second coming of Christ: "The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with the announcement, with the voice of the Archangel and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first."
Squirrel - for Christians it means greed and greed. In European mythology, the Ratatosk squirrel ("gnawtooth") appears, constantly scurrying along the trunk of the world tree and sowing discord between the eagle at its top and the dragon eating roots, passing their words about each other. She is associated with the devil, incarnating in this reddish, impetuous, elusive animal.
Ox - a symbol of the martyrs who were killed for Christ. St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory from Naziyanz.
Magi - Melchior (senior), Baltazar (middle), Kaspar (junior). There is, however, a different ratio: the elder Caspar (or Yaspir), the middle one - Baltazar (he can be portrayed as a Negro), the younger one - Melchior. In the Middle Ages, they began to symbolize the three then known parts of the world: Europe, Asia and Africa, and the youngest, Kaspar, was often portrayed as a Negro.
Raven - a symbol of solitude and hermitic life.
Horse heads - an eternal metaphor for the irreversibility of the running of time.
Garnet - the traditional symbol of the resurrection, points to Christ as the Savior of the world. The pomegranate is considered a symbol of life ... According to the legend, Noah's ark was lit by a pomegranate. Native to Asia, pomegranate is one of the earliest fruits consumed by humans. Ancient Carthage was crushed by the Romans and died irrevocably. They say that only the "Carthaginian" or "Punic" apple is left of it. It was the Romans who gave this name to the pomegranate -punica granatum. It is believed that the tail on top of the pomegranate became the prototype of the royal crown.
Griffins - fictional creatures, half lions, half eagles. With sharp claws and snow-white wings. Their eyes are like flames. Initially, Satan was depicted in the form of a griffin, enticing human souls into a trap, later this animal became a symbol of the double (divine and human) nature of Jesus Christ. Thus, the griffin also became an enemy of snakes and basilisks.
Goose - in the Gnostic tradition, the goose is the embodiment of the holy spirit, a symbol of prudence and vigilance. There is a famous legend about the Capitoline geese, which saved Rome from the invasion of the Gauls. But in the Middle Ages in Europe, it was believed that geese were the mounts of witches.
Dolphin - in Christian art, the dolphin can be found much more often than others marine life... He became a symbol of resurrection and salvation. It was believed that the dolphin, the strongest and fastest of the sea creatures, transports the souls of the deceased across the sea to another world. A dolphin, depicted with an anchor or a boat, symbolizes the soul of a Christian or the Church, which Christ leads to salvation. In addition, in stories about the prophet Jonah, the dolphin is often depicted instead of a whale, which led to the use of the dolphin as a symbol of the Resurrection, and also, although much less often, as a symbol of Christ.
The Dragon - one of the most widespread mythological creatures - the winged serpent, which, however, represented a combination of elements of other animals, usually the head (often several heads) and the body of a reptile (snake, lizard, crocodile) and the wings of a bird or like a bat; sometimes the image also included elements of a lion, a panther, a wolf, a dog, a fish, a goat, etc. It is one of the forms of the devil. But despite the fact that the dragon was also an image of the water element, he was often represented as fire-breathing (a combination of the opposite symbols of water and fire). In the Bible, it is a symbol that is emphasized; it is interesting to note that Herod's anagram in Syriac - ierud and es - means "fire-breathing dragon". A vivid description of the dragon as the enemy of God was given in the Revelation of John the Theologian. “And the war took place in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought against them, but they could not resist, and there was no longer a place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, the ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceived the whole universe, was cast out to earth, and his angels were cast down with him. "
Woodpecker symbolizes in the Christian tradition heresy and the devil, which destroys human nature and leads a person to damnation.
Unicorn - in antiquity it was associated with the cult of the Virgin-Mother goddess and early Christian theologians began to associate with the virginity of Mary and the Incarnation of Christ. The biblical symbol of power and strength, as used in the coat of arms of Britain. In the "Mirror of the Sacraments of the Church" Honorius Otensky wrote: "A very fierce animal, which has only one horn, is called a unicorn. To catch it, a virgin is left in the field; then the animal comes up to her and is caught, for it lies in her bosom. This animal represents Christ. but the horn is his invincible strength. He, lying in the bosom of the Virgin, was caught by the hunters - that is, found in human form by those who loved him. "
Wand - the club is a symbol of strength and power, therefore, each bishop is given a rod during ordination. "The bishop's rod," says Archbishop Simeon of Thessoloniki, "denotes the power of the Holy Spirit, the establishment and management of people, the power to rule, the rebellious to punish, and those that have gone to gather together." The bishop's rod is crowned with two serpentine heads and a cross. Snake heads are a symbol of wisdom and archpastoral power, and the cross should remind the bishop of his duty to shepherd his flock in the name of Christ and for His glory.
Vicious circle - a symbol of eternity. The circle of the sky expressed in the Middle Ages the idea of \u200b\u200beternity, infinity and perfection.
Star - The Magi went to the birthplace of Jesus, having seen a sign - a star in the east, as Matthew says, and it was clear to them whose star they saw - "His star." In the Proto-Gospel of Jacob, there is no direct reference to the star, but only about the extraordinary light in the cave where Christ was born. And if this source was the basis for many other iconographic motives, then it is quite reasonable to assume that it also explains the image of bright light in a cave with the help of a traditional image - a star.
Serpent in Christian symbolism is the main antagonist of God. This meaning comes from the Old Testament story of the fall of Adam. God cursed the serpent in the following expressions: "... because you did this, you are cursed before all the cattle and before all the beasts of the field; you will walk on your belly, and you will eat dust all the days of your life." Asp in Christianity also symbolizes evil, poison. The snake by the tree in paradise, which seduced Eve into disobedience, in medieval Jewish legend appears under the name Samael (corresponds to the prince of darkness Lucifer). She is credited with the following thoughts: "If I talk to a man, he will not listen to me, because it is difficult to break a man. Therefore, I better first talk to a woman who has a lighter disposition. I know that she will listen to me, because the woman listens. to everyone! "
Ibis - a symbol of carnal desire, impurity, laziness. The early Christian text "Physiologus", like the medieval "Bestiary", notes that the ibis cannot swim and therefore devours dead fish near the shore. The latter, he brings for food and his cubs. "Like ibises, those carnivorous thinking people who greedily consume the deadly fruits of their deeds, and even their children, to their damage and destruction, feed them" (Unterkircher). "This ibis is the worst of all, for from sinners and escapes are sinful" ("Physiologus").
The calendar - the memory of a person about his roots and his source.
Stone in hand - a symbol of the penance imposed on oneself, and thus a sign that the penance was carried out. One Pope of the Renaissance, examining the image of the saint, supposedly said: "It's good that he is holding a stone, this sign of a penance he voluntarily accepted, because without this he would hardly be considered a saint."
Keys - gold and iron symbolize the gates of heaven and hell.
Goat symbolized voluptuousness. In the form of a goat, Satan tempted St. Anthony. In the Gospel of Matthew, the goat is an emblem of sin and curse ("and will put the sheep on his right side, and the goats on his left"). In traditional ideas dating back to myths, the black goat was associated with the "lower" world. According to legends, Satan was present at the Sabbath in the guise of a black goat. In Christian symbolism, the goat is a "smelly, filthy, constantly seeking satisfaction" being, which at the Last Judgment is doomed to eternal punishment in hell. Directly associated with the scapegoat - a symbol of shifting one's own guilt onto someone else. Hence the traditional meaning of the goat as a spy agent and its sinister association with the devil.
A spear is one of the instruments of the passion of the Lord. In the Gospel of Nicodemus it is said, and then in the "Golden Legend" it is repeated, that the name of the soldier who pierced Christ with a spear was Longinus. He was blind and, according to the "Golden Legend", he was cured of blindness miraculously - by the blood that flowed out of the wound he inflicted on Christ. Subsequently, according to legend, he was baptized and martyred. As a rule, he is portrayed with the "good" side of Christ. Artists in different ways tried to understand the viewer that Longinus is blind: the spear, which he seeks to thrust into the body of Christ, can be directed by a nearby soldier, or Longinus specifically points his finger at his eyes, turning to Christ and, as it were, saying: heal me if you are the Son of God ! In addition to the spear, Longinus's attribute is the monstrance, in which, as the legend tells about this (the Gospel does not say anything about this), he collected drops of the holy blood of Christ.
Cat - symbolizes the ability to see both day and night. Because of its habits, the cat has become a symbol of laziness and lust. There is also a legend about the "Madonna's cat" (gatta del la. Madonna), which tells that before being born to Christ, a cat lambed in the same manger. This cat is usually depicted with a cruciform mark on its back. When the cat was wild, it was considered one of the most ferocious animals in its environment.
Red lily - a symbol of the martyr's Holy Blood of Christ.
Red sardonyx meant Christ who shed his blood for the people.
Jug and Fake l indicate sexual moderation: water extinguishes the fire of lust.
Font - a symbol of the virgin's immaculate womb, from which the initiate is born again.
Lamp - the lamp of knowledge. Since ancient times, lamps have been lit to dispel physical darkness - the darkness of the night. With the beginning of the new school semester, the lamp of science is again lit up to end ignorance and spiritual darkness. The light of true art and useful knowledge should burn brightly in our world. There is still another kind of darkness. This is spiritual darkness - the darkness of unbelief, denial of God and despair. Christian education of all kinds leads disciples to Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. The means used for spiritual enlightenment is the Word of God. The psalm says: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." The gospel shining from the pages of Holy Scripture not only teaches us how to live in this world - it shows us the way to Heaven through faith in Jesus Christ. “How precious is the inspired Book! Like a lamp, her teachings illuminate our way to Heaven. " In the Old Testament, the Lord commands Moses to "burn the lamp at all times." The lamp burning in the tabernacle symbolized the constant presence of the Lord among His people. Today, the inextinguishable lamps in some churches remind us of the presence of Christ through the Word and the Sacraments. This suggests that Christians gathered around the Word are always and everywhere serving God. "The incarnate Word of God, O Higher Mind, O Eternal and unchanging Truth, O Light in darkness, we glorify you, shining from the sacred pages, illuminating our paths with eternal light."
Shack (dilapidated building) - it symbolized the Old Testament, which Christ appeared to replace with the New.
A lion, like an eagle, an animal. symbolizing domination, often figures in heraldry and is characterized in fables as "the king of beasts". A symbol of vigilance and vigilant and spiritual, strength - since it was believed that he sleeps with his eyes open. The sentry who supports the foundations of the church. The symbol of the resurrection, because it was believed that the lion breathes life into lion cubs who are born dead. Therefore, the lion began to be associated with the resurrection from the dead and made him a symbol of Christ. The early Christian text "Physiologus" tells about the amazing circumstances of the birth of lion cubs: "When a lioness gives birth to a cub, she gives birth to him dead and is awake near the body until the father comes on the third day and starts blowing into his face .. . (the lioness) sits opposite him for three whole days and looks at him (at the cub). But if she looks away, he will not be revived. "The male lion awakens him, blowing life breath into his nostrils. The lion becomes the emblem of Jesus Christ (cf. also Leo as the emblem of the Old Testament Judas, from whose family Jesus Christ comes) and many saints (Mark, Jerome, Ignatius, Adrian, Euphemia, etc.). In the Old Testament, Judah, Dan, Saul, Jonathan, Daniel and others are compared with Leo, and Leo himself is characterized as "a strong man among the beasts."
Left and right - it is customary to place the righteous on the right hand of Christ, and sinners on the left. The unrepentant is always at the left hand of the Savior. When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy Angels are with Him, then he will sit on the throne of His glory, and all nations will be gathered before Him; and he will separate one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; And he will put the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those who are on His right side: Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for us from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer Him: Lord! when did we see you hungry and feed you? or thirsty, and made drunk? when did we see you a stranger and welcome you in? or naked and clothed? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? And the King will answer them: Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of My brothers, you did it to Me. Then he will say to those on the left side: Depart from Me, cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and you did not give Me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger and did not receive me; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick and in prison, and they did not visit me. Then they will say to Him in response: Lord! when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not serve you? Then he will answer them: Truly, I say to you, since you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. And these will go into eternal torment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Fox - a symbol of greed and cunning, wickedness and cunning. As a traditionally established symbol of cunning and deceit, the fox has become a symbol of the devil. Images of the fox often appeared in medieval sculpture; during the Renaissance, the fox became the main character in book illustrations. The reddish color of her fur resembles fire, which (along with the lynx and the squirrel) ranks it among the rump (retinue) of the devil. The negative assessment of the fox is also expressed in medieval books about animals, for example, when it is said that he, as a deceiver and cunning animal, is unsurpassed. "When he is hungry and does not find anything to devour, so he rummages in red clay until he looks like a bloody one, stretches out like a dead man and whips around. The birds see him supposedly bleeding and his tongue rolled off, and they think, They are on him, and he catches them and eats them. Such is the devil: in front of the living, he pretends to be dead until he lures him into his calculations, and even seduces them "(Unterkircher). "The fox on the shields of arms. Whether on banners at all means a wicked mind, and for those, if they are erected on the arms, word and deed are one essence."
A boat is a symbol of the church through which one can be saved; the net is a Christian doctrine, and the fish are people ("men") converted to the Christian faith. Many of Jesus' disciples were fishermen before their call to the apostolic ministry. Jesus could call them “fishers of men,” as if hinting at their former profession. In addition, he compares the Kingdom of Heaven with a seine thrown into the sea and capturing various kinds of fish. Once, when the people were crowding to Him to hear the word of God, and He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, He saw two boats standing on the lake; and the fishermen, coming out of them, washed their nets. getting into one boat, which was Simon's, He asked him to sail a little from the shore and, sitting down, taught the people from the boat. When he stopped teaching, he said to Simon: Set sail to the depths and cast your nets for fishing. Simon answered Him: Master! we worked all night and caught nothing, but at your word I will cast down the net. When they did this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and even their net broke. And they gave a sign to the comrades who were on the other boat to come to help them; and they came and filled both boats so that they began to sink. Seeing this, Simon Peter fell to the knees of Jesus and said: Get out from me, Lord! because I am a sinful person. For terror seized him and all who were with him from this catch of the fish they caught; and also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were companions of Simon. And Jesus said to Simon: Do not be afraid; from now on you will catch people. And, having pulled both boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Him.
moon and sun - the moon symbolizes the Old Testament, and the sun - the New Testament, and as the moon receives its light from the sun, so the Law (Old Testament) becomes understandable only when it is illuminated by the Gospel (New Testament). Sometimes the sun was symbolized by a star surrounded by tongues of flame, and the moon by a woman's face with a sickle. There are also explanations for the figures of the sun and the moon as indications of the two natures of Christ, or as symbols of Christ himself (the sun) and the church (the moon).
Copper washstand and towel symbolize virgin purity.
Sword - a symbol of justice. St. Paul himself explains this symbol to us in the Epistle to the Ephesians: "Take the helmet of salvation, and the spiritual sword, which is the Word of God."
A monkey - for Christians of the early Middle Ages - a symbol of the devil and a designation of paganism rather than human sinfulness. In the Gothic era, the monkey was usually depicted with an apple in its teeth, as a symbol of the fall of Adam and Eve. In Christian art, the monkey is a symbol of sin, anger, deceit and lust. It can also symbolize the negligence of the human soul - blindness, greed, a tendency to fall. Sometimes Satan is depicted in the guise of a monkey, scenes with a chained animal could mean the triumph of true faith. Sometimes in scenes of the adoration of the Magi, the monkey is present along with other animals.
Deer - a deer is usually depicted near springs. It is a symbol of a soul that longs for God. The psalmist says: "As a deer strives for streams of water, so my soul strives for You, O God."
Eagle ascending to the sun is a symbol of ascension. The eagle is a symbol of the soul that seeks God, as opposed to the snake, which symbolizes the devil. Usually the eagle is considered a symbol of the Resurrection. This interpretation is based on the early idea that the eagle, unlike other birds, flying near the sun and plunging into the water, periodically renews its plumage and regains its youth. This interpretation is further revealed in Psalm 102: 5: "... your youth is renewed like an eagle." In addition, the eagle often serves as a symbol of a new life that began with the baptismal font, as well as the soul of a Christian, which grows stronger thanks to virtue. “But those who hope in the Lord will be renewed in strength; will raise their wings like eagles ... ". The eagle is able to soar in the air, rising so high until it is out of sight, as well as gazing at the scorching midday sun. For this reason, it has become a symbol of Christ. More generally, it symbolizes justice or virtues such as courage, faith, and religious reflection. Less often, when the eagle is portrayed as a sacrifice, it personifies a demon capturing souls, or the sin of pride and worldly power. Evangelist John is rightly compared to an eagle, he, as someone wrote, “from the beginning to the end of his Gospel soars on eagle's wings to the very throne of the Lord. ”More generally, the eagle became a symbol of the inspirational message of the Gospels. It was from this interpretation that the analogies from which the Gospels were read were often made in the form of an eagle that spread its wings.
Pelican - according to an ancient legend transmitted by Pliny the Elder, a pelican, in order to save its chicks from death, poisoned by the poisonous breath of a snake, feeds them with its blood, which it exudes from a wound inflicted on its chest by its beak. The pelican feeding children with his blood is a symbol of the sacrificial death of Christ. So the pelican became a symbol of Jesus Christ, who in the Eucharist feeds us with his Body and Blood.
Hourglass traditionally symbolize the transience of time and the mortality of all things.
Lash in hand - a three-knot lash - a symbol of the weapon with which Ambrose scourged the heretic Arius and his followers (Arian); three knots - the symbol of St. Trinity.
Transparent beryl transmitting light - the image of a Christian illuminated by the light of Christ.
Fifteen angels - fifteen is the number of virtues: four "cardinal" - courage, wisdom, moderation, justice, three "theological" - faith, hope, love and seven "basic" - humility, generosity, chastity, self-satisfaction, self-control, calmness, hope. And two more - piety and repentance. The total is sixteen, but moderation and abstinence are essentially the same thing. Thus, there are only fifteen different virtues. Thirty-three angels - corresponds to the number of years Christ lived.
Arms folded crosswise on the chest - a gesture of deep reverence and awe.
Fish - in the New Testament, fish symbolism is associated with preaching; former fishermen, and after the apostles, Christ calls "fishers of men", and the Kingdom of Heaven likens "a net cast into the sea and captured fish of all kinds." In the first centuries of Christianity, people wore glass, mother-of-pearl or stone fish around their necks - the future pectoral crosses... The Eucharistic meaning of fish is associated with representative evangelical meals: the saturation of the people in the desert with bread and fish, the meal of Christ and the apostles on Lake Tiberias after the Resurrection, which is often depicted in the catacombs, merging with the Last Supper. In the Scriptures, Christ says: "Is there a man among you who, when his son asks him for bread, would give him a stone? And when he asks for a fish, would he give him a snake?" According to the interpreters, the image of the fish refers to Christ as the true Bread of Life, in contrast to the snake, which symbolizes the devil. The image of a fish is often combined with the image of a basket of bread and wine, and thus the fish symbol is associated with Christ Himself. We wrote above that the graphic appearance of the Greek name for fish also contributes to this correlation. The symbolism of fish is also associated with the sacrament of Baptism. As Tertullian says: "We are small fish, led by our ikhthus, we are born in the water and can only be saved by being in the water." It is an important and frequently used symbol by early Christians. Fish was for them, firstly, a symbol of rebirth from water - St. baptism. The water intake, where the baptism took place, was called scribe in Latin, which means a fish pool. And that cat, when baptized, plunged into it, was called a fish, in Greek ihtis. "We are fish," says Tertullian, "and we cannot otherwise be saved, as soon as in the water" - i.e. through baptism. The Greek word ihtis (fish) was also a symbol of Christ because each letter in the Greek language makes up the words Jesus Christ, God's Son Savior. (Isus Hristos Teu Ius Soter). Obviously, the Pisces symbol was the sign by which the early Christians found and recognized one another, especially during times of persecution. Scribbled on the wall, on the floor of the market square, or near a fountain, in crowded places, it allowed itinerant Christians to learn about where their brothers in faith were gathering.
Fish with a coin in its mouth - a symbol of the Miracle performed by Jesus Christ. When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of didrachmas came up to Peter and said: Will not your teacher give you didrachmas? He says yes. And when he entered the house, Jesus, warning him, said: What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take duties or taxes? from their own sons, or from strangers? Peter says to him: from strangers. Jesus said to him: So the sons are free; but so that we do not tempt them, go to the sea, throw the flock, and take the first fish that comes in, and, opening its mouth, you will find a statir; take it and give it to them for me and for yourself. He performs a miracle: if Jesus knew that in the mouth of the fish, which first fell to Peter, would be the coin it swallowed, He is omniscient. If He created this coin in her mouth, He is omnipotent.
Candle in a candlestick should read: "Mother supports the Son, like a candlestick to a candle."
Pig (Boar ) - serves as the personification of the demon of sensuality and gluttony, and therefore she often acts as one of the attributes of Anthony the Great, who defeated this demon. Gluttony, selfishness, lust, stubbornness, ignorance, but also motherhood, fertility, prosperity and luck. The positive attitude towards pigs in most myths contrasts with their mostly negative symbolism in world religious traditions.
In Christian painting, the scene of the expulsion of demons from the possessed is often depicted. Jesus allowed them to enter a herd of 2,000 pigs, which then threw themselves off a cliff into the sea. In Christian art, the pig symbolizes gluttony and lust (trampled by the usually allegorical figure of Chastity), as well as laziness. The parable about the expulsion by Jesus from two possessed demons, who then entered the herd of pigs (the Gospel of Matthew, symbolizes the desire of a person to cleanse himself from sensual excesses.
Seven bells (flowers) - have double symbolic meaning: firstly, they hint at the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary and, secondly, they point to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: “And the Spirit of the Lord rests on him, the spirit of wisdom and reason, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and piety; and it will be filled with the fear of the Lord. "
Heart ... Found in images from the 15th century. Often it emits tongues of flame ("fiery heart"), which symbolizes spiritual burning.
Network - Christian doctrine.
Scorpio - indicates the life of a hermit in the desert. The tail-biting scorpion embodied deceit. Scorpio is one of the symbols of evil. The sting at the end of a scorpion's tail contains poison, and a person stung by a scorpion experiences terrible torment. He is often mentioned in the Bible: "... and the torment from it is like the torment from a scorpion when it bites a man" (Rev. 9: 5). Because of its treacherous manner of stinging, the scorpion became the symbol of Judas. Scorpio as a symbol of betrayal was present on the flags and shields of the soldiers who participated in the crucifixion of Christ. Because of its treacherous, often fatal bite, it is a symbol of Judas. In medieval art - a sign of deadly betrayal, sometimes envy or hatred. Scorpio is also found as an attribute of the allegorical figure of Africa and Logic (perhaps as a symbol of the last argument).
Dog - The early commentators of the Bible held a low opinion of the dog as a symbol of wickedness. Later church fathers, and then other medieval authors, changed their attitude towards it. In the Renaissance, the dog in the portraits of humanist scientists and religious leaders became, as it were, a symbol of devotion to truth. Hunter's dogs - (there are usually four of them) personify four virtues, as evidenced by the Latin inscriptions related to them: "Misericordia" (mercy), "Justitia" (justice), "Pax" (peace), "Veritas" (truth).
Ostrich, laying eggs in the sand and forgetting to hatch them is the image of a sinner who does not remember his duty to God.
Arrow or beam piercing the heart. This is an allusion to the words of St. Augustine from the "Confession" concerning Divine love: "Sagittaveras tu cor nostrum caritatr tua et gestabamus verba tua transfxa visceribus" ("Thou didst hurt our heart with Thy love, and in it we kept Thy words that permeated our womb"). Three arrows piercing the heart symbolize the prophecy of Simeon. At the first sacrifice of Jesus, Simeon was present in the Temple, a righteous and pious man who longed for the consolation of Israel. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he came to the Temple and, taking the Infant in his arms, sang his last song, "Now you are letting go," and prophesied to His astonished Mother: "Behold, this lies for the fall and rebellion of many in Israel and the subject of wrangling - and The weapon itself will penetrate the soul to you, - may the thoughts of many hearts be revealed. " There are three predictions in this prophecy, each of them referring to one person: Jesus ("this"), Israel and Mary.
Three nails became one of the symbols of the Holy Trinity. In art until the 15th century, Christ was depicted nailed with four nails - one nail for each hand and foot. Later, Western European artists depict three nails: the legs are nailed crosswise with one nail. Our sins are blotted out because God "nailed [them] to the cross."
Shoes thrown off your feet - a symbol of the sanctity of the place where the event takes place. This interpretation is based on the words of God addressed to Moses, who appeared before the burning bush: “Take your shoes off your feet; for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. "
Flag of triumph - white banner with a red cross. This image appears in the so-called Ratmann missal of the mid-12th century (Hildesheim, cathedral). Christ takes a decisive step, stepping over the leading edge of the sarcophagus; he holds a cross with a banner attached to it; from that time on, the flag - a sign of his victory over death - becomes a characteristic feature of all subsequent images of the Resurrection of Christ. A banner with a cross attached to a shepherd's staff was sometimes depicted as the emblem of the Good Shepherd.
Bread and Wine - "And when they ate, Jesus, taking bread, blessed, broke it, gave it to them and said: accept, eat; this is my body. And, taking the cup, giving thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank from it. And he said to them: this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. "
Bread depicted in the form of ears (sheaves symbolize the meeting of the Apostles), or in the form of communion bread. In the catacombs of early Christians, you can see an image on the walls: a fish carries on its back a basket of bread and a bottle of scarlet wine - this is how Christ was depicted carrying the sacrament. The basket is an image of a huge cake, from which everyone will get it, as during it thousands of people were fed several loaves of bread and fish (Jesus Christ saturating five thousand people with five loaves).
Flowers - symbolize new life: the Lord came to earth - and flowers bloomed. Flowers were a common decoration on the coffins of martyrs in the catacombs as a symbol of the passing human life... In the book of Job we read: "A man who is born of a woman is short and full of anxiety for a century. It grows like a flower, and withers, and runs like a shadow without stopping." St. Peter the Apostle teaches: "For all flesh is like grass, and all human glory is like the color on the grass, the grass has dried up, and its color has fallen."
A bowl from which a snake crawls out. The origin of this attribute goes back to a medieval legend, according to which the priest of the pagan temple of Diana in Ephesus gave John a poisoned cup to drink in order to test the power of his faith. John, having drunk, not only remained alive, but also resurrected two others who had drank from this cup before him. Since the Middle Ages, the cup has become a symbol of the Christian faith, and the snake - of Satan.
Skull - as a symbol of the victory of spirit over flesh. The symbol of the mortality of all things, usually depicted in scenes of death and burial. Another reason for the presence of the skull is the inclusion in the picture of the Memento mori motif (Latin - Remember death).
Beads - a symbol of piety and a symbol of service to the Church and people. Rosary is an extremely simple and at the same time extremely capacious and impressive model of time. On the one hand, in the rosary, we see that the beads - they are connected by one thread - are a kind of continuum. On the other hand, there are also temporary corpuscles.
Four women

Encrypted fish. Symbols of Christianity ***

For the feast of the Nativity of Christ

For the feast of the Nativity of Christ, an exposition "Christian symbolism" has been created at the Nativity scene of the Prince Vladimir Cathedral:

A symbol (Greek σύμβολον is a sign, an identifying sign) - a conventional sign of any concepts, ideas, phenomena that are revealed through its interpretation.
“Symbol” - in Greek “connection”, and means either a means that realizes connection, or the discovery of invisible reality through visible naturalness, or the expressibility of a concept by an image.
The first Christian symbolic images appear in the painting of the Roman catacombs and belong to the period of the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. During this period, the symbols were in the nature of secret writing, allowing fellow believers to recognize each other, but the meaning of the symbols already reflects the emerging Christian theology.
A symbol is a fragment of the material world, capable of manifesting and attaching spiritual reality to it. But the symbol can manifest spiritual reality and attach to it only due to the fact that he himself is involved in this reality. It should be noted that Christian symbols are not a product of human creativity, they are "what is given as a result of Revelation, since symbols are always rooted in the Bible ... This is the language of God, Who more and more initiates us into a reality unknown to us until we are the world, whose shadow is in some way a symbol. " (Arzhanti Kirill, priest. The meaning of the symbol in the Orthodox liturgy // Alpha and Omega, 1998, No. 1 (15), pp. 281-
Full text of the message:
http://www.vladimirskysobor.ru/novosti/hristianskaja-simvolika-chast-1
Everyone knows what persecution and persecution the first Christians were subjected to during the time of Ancient Rome. And, of course, they had to come up with special signs by which they could recognize friends and associates among ordinary people. These plot compositions and ornamental fragments are borrowed from the Roman catacombs, where the first Christians gathered, where they buried their fellow believers in burial chambers, where they took the sacrament.
All images are symbolic to hide the meaning from the uninitiated. The language of symbols is universal, with its help it is possible to convey an abstract concept, polysemy, therefore, even after the declaration of Christianity as the state religion, the language of symbols was preserved and continued to develop. Let's dwell on the brightest and most famous images.

Vine.
When the Romans saw an image of a man with a vine or just a vine, the first thing that crossed their minds was that there was the altar of Bacchus, the patron saint of winemakers. In fact, the early Christians symbolized Jesus in this way, comparing him to grapes. In the Gospel of John there are the following words: “... I am the vine, and my father is the winegrower ...” (from John, 15; 1) And yet - after all, it was with wine that Jesus communed the apostles at the Last Supper: “This cup is a new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you "(Luke 22; 20)

Shepherd and sheep.
The image of a beardless youth in a short tunic was mistaken by the Romans for the god Hermes. Meanwhile, this is a very famous symbol of Christ - the shepherd of human souls. “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd receives his life for the sheep; But a mercenary, not a shepherd, to whom the sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs, and the wolf plunders the sheep and scatters them; I am the good shepherd, I know Mine, and Mine know Me. I have other sheep that are not of this fold, and I must bring them: and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one Shepherd ”(John 10; 11-16) This symbol is often used in conjunction with a wooden cross or a tree with sheep grazing around - human souls.

Swastika.

Many do not see the difference between the swastikas, associating them only with fascism. Meanwhile, it is a very ancient sun sign used in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and of course Christianity. Pay attention to the fact that the swastika - the light of the world is twisted clockwise (as opposed to the fascist). Here is the image of the swastika on the mosaics of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. Read more about the swastika here.
http://kolizej.at.ua/forum/22-235-1

And finally, the most interesting thing: fish.

Image of fish from the catacombs of St. Callista
Ichthis (ancient Greek Ίχθύς - fish) - an ancient acronym (monogram) of the name of Jesus Christ; consists of the initial letters of the words: Ἰησοὺς Χριστὸς Θεoὺ ῾Υιὸς Σωτήρ (Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior) and expresses in a short form the confession of the Christian faith.
The New Testament tells about the calling of the apostles: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew, 4:19); The Kingdom of Heaven is likened to “a net cast into the sea and captures all kinds of fish” (Matthew 13:47).
The saturation of the people in the wilderness with bread and fish is a type of the Eucharist (Mark 6: 34-44, Mark 8: 1-9); the fish is mentioned in the description of the meal of Christ and the apostles on Lake Tiberias after His Resurrection (John 21: 9-22).
The image of a fish carrying a basket of bread and a vessel of wine on its back in the oldest part of the catacombs of St. Callista is a Eucharistic symbol for Christ, who gives people a new life.
Using the fish symbol in his treatise On Baptism, Tertullian writes:
“We, fish, following the“ fish ”(Ίχθύς) of our Jesus Christ, are born in water, we preserve life only by remaining in the water.”

Early Christian mosaic. Tabgha. Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes

Marble stele, 3rd century
The image of two fish on either side of a vertical anchor with a cross-top was used as a secret "pass-pass" during the time when the early Christians were persecuted by the Romans.

Continuing this theme, it is not superfluous to remember that Jesus, living in Capernaum, on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, recruited his disciples from the fishermen.
Early Christian frescoes in the Roman catacombs represent fish as a symbol of the Eucharist, and the early Middle Ages left images of the last, last supper, where fish is also on the refectory table, along with bread and a cup of wine.

And the story of how he fed 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish ...
I found an interesting explanation for this event. I share.

There are many images of the zodiacal constellation Pisces that archaeologists have discovered during excavations of early Christian monuments, which suggests that. that those who left these signs were perfectly familiar with the astrological symbolism of the new era and the religion of Christ personifying it. But not only the name of Christ was associated with the symbol of Pisces - the followers of Christ themselves called themselves “fish”, “pisciculi”, and the baptismal font quite early began to be likened to piscina (“fish pond”). Of course, the fact that the fishermen were among the first disciples of Christ and became "fishers of men" - all this is just a reflection in evangelical tradition the main mythologeme of Christianity is the mythologeme of the zodiacal sign of Pisces.

Images of the constellation Pisces on the "ancient Egyptian" zodiacs and on the star map of A. Durer. On the Thebes color zodiac "OU" Pisces are not depicted.
The image of the space age of Pisces was clearly manifested in the Gospel myth of the miracle that Christ performed by feeding a huge number of people with two fish. This image symbolized the future widespread spread of Christianity, which is a typical "Fish" religion, since the believers themselves are likened to fish, being baptized in holy waters. Saint Pietro Damiani drew a parallel between monks and fish, since "all godly people are nothing more than fish jumping in the net of the Great Fisherman." Indeed, Christ - Ichthis is a "fisher of men", but in a symbolic sense he was also interpreted as a fish hook and bait on the fishing rod of God, with the help of which Leviathan is caught, symbolizing death and destruction.
Fish - the inhabitants of the waters, serve as a fitting emblem of those whose lives were saved by Christ in God, and who came out alive from the waters of the flood - the waters of judgment and retribution. The authoritative English religious scholar EM Smith wrote: "Those who are to live forever in living water are one with Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God." On an early Christian inscription of the 4th century. believers are called "the divine descendants of the great fish." Here you can definitely feel the influence of pre-Christian cults, in which the main object of worship was fish. In the Near and Middle East, the image of the fish has a long and expressive background.

Vishnu in the form of a fish saves the first man Manu, the progenitor of a new race.
According to Indian mythology, the rescuer fish Manu is known. In Babylon, the fish-like god Oannes was worshiped, whose priests were clothed in scaly robes, and in Phenicia, a pair of divine fish immediately became the object of worship - the goddess Derketo-Atargatis, who was herself half a fish and her son named Ichtis (fish).

Reverse of Demetrius III coin depicting the goddess Derketo.
In the temples of Atargatis, there were cages with fish, which were not allowed to be touched by anyone. In addition, ritual fish meals were held in the temples.

Atargatis in the form of a fish on a bas-relief. Felista (Syria)
The Belgian historian of religion Franz Cumont writes in "The Religions of the East": "This cult and these rituals, originating in Syria, could well have given rise to the symbolism of Ichthis in Christian times" The Syrian Greeks identified Derketo-Atargatis and her son Ichthis with the constellation Pisces, but not only the Syrian divine mother and son were associated with fish. Similar motifs are also found in the Egyptian and greek mythologies... Fleeing from persecution, Isis with the baby Horus turned into Pisces, in the same way Aphrodite and her son escaped in the waters of the Euphrates. In Lycia, they worshiped a divine fish named Orphos or Diorphos, the son of Mithra and Cybele. Judging by the fact that in Carthage fish were sacrificed to Tanith, and in Babylon - to Ea and Nina, one can judge that the cults of these deities were close to the cults of all the divine fish listed, as well as those worshiped by the inhabitants of Siena, Elephantine and Oxyrinha.
Through the fish symbol, the figure of Christ was assimilated by the world of ideas of pagan origin, saturated with astrological symbolism.

The Babylonian hero Oannes was himself a fish, and Christ likewise correlated with the ritually eaten fish at the Eucharistic Christian meals. In the Jewish tradition, historical development which was Christianity, the mystical Eucharistic food, reserved for the faithful in Paradise, is the fish king Leviathan.

Leviathan
It should also be noted that, according to the Talmud, devout Israelites living in the "water of doctrine" are like fish, and after death they even put on the garments of fish. The Talmud ("Sanhedrin") says that the Messiah "will not come until a fish is found and delivered for the weak." The Zohar, developing what was said in the Talmud, says: "Through fish we will find a cure for the whole world."
Given such a widespread occurrence of the fish symbol, its appearance in the early Christian tradition should not come as a surprise. In connection with all of the above, it will not be inappropriate to associate Christ by means of a fish with a new era that was born 2000 years ago.

Two fish swimming in opposite directions, which became a symbol of the Christian religion, were interpreted by early Christians as two opposite images, one of which symbolized life, and the other - death. The fish swimming up to the source against the current symbolizes Christ and the evolutionary path of his followers. A fish swimming downstream is a symbol of the enemy of God, a symbol of the Antichrist. In his study of the historical significance of the fish symbol, Jung categorically asserts: "In astrological interpretation, we must emphasize the actual identification of Christ with only one of the fish, while the role of the second is assigned to the Antichrist."

Constellation Pisces on modern astronomical maps.
In this zodiac sign, the symbol of which is living and dead fish, Neptune has the abode - the planet of secrets, mysteries, mysticism and illusions. Neptune (aka Poseidon) is not only the lord of the earthly seas, but also the lord of the sea of \u200b\u200bunconscious nature, which is an integral part of the human soul. Neptune bestows faith on people, it opens the gates of a different reality to a person, but since his nature is dual, like the zodiacal sign of Pisces (controlled by him) is dual, then that other reality into which a person is immersed, being under the influence of this planet, can appear both from favorable, and from the most bad side. Neptune gives people not only mystical insights and revelations, but also plunges the human soul into a sea of \u200b\u200billusions, fears, nightmares, alcoholic and narcotic intoxication.
The entire history of mankind throughout the era of Pisces can be an excellent illustration of the zodiacal mystery of this sign. The era of Pisces was the time of the heyday of the arts - architecture, painting, music, literature, which became a natural manifestation of the beneficial influence of Venus - the planet of beauty and harmony, exalted in this sign. But the same era became the time of development of occultism, creation secret societies, waging bloody religious wars, painful searches for truth, and in all this one can read the influence of Neptune - the ruler of the zodiacal sign of Pisces and the corresponding cosmic era.

The era of Pisces is coming to an end, and the statements about the coming “end times” seem to be quite understandable. In the minds of believing Christians, the coming era of Aquarius is indeed associated with the era of Antichrist, since technocratic development modern society levels the spiritual values \u200b\u200bof the Christian civilization, and the future prospects, for good reason, seem even more bleak. Pisces is the last zodiac sign, a sign of the end of the path and summing up, and that is why the religious leaders of the Pisces era have been persistently talking about the imminent approach of the last times and the inevitable end of the world for the last two thousand years. According to the Syrian apocalypse of Baruch, the time preceding the coming of the Messiah falls into twelve parts, and the Messiah appears only at the end of the last of them. Such a temporary duodecimal division certainly indicates the zodiacal circle, the twelfth messianic sign of which is Pisces. From the point of view of the ancient astrologers, the transition of the precession point from the sign of Pisces to the sign of Aquarius is the very "time X" - the time of the Apocalypse and Armageddon.
There is every reason to believe that the Age of Aquarius will be the time of fulfillment of ancient eschatological prophecies.

In the Sumerian drawings, Enki (Aquarius) with two jets of water
The two streams pouring from the vessels of Aquarius are two immiscible streams of living and dead water... The symbolism of this sign implies the separation of good and evil, the final choice in one direction or another of each individual person and his direct participation in the final cosmic battle of the forces of light and darkness.
The era of Pisces, which was characterized by a mixture of moral and ethical concepts, and, as a result, the possibility of the existence of evil under the guise of good, is being replaced by a new time when the secret will become apparent, and the servants of evil will cease to cover up their evil deeds with noble phrases. The time of separation will put humanity before a choice between the Antichrist and the person who can oppose the army of darkness with the power of truth, faith and reason.
At the present time, the era of Pisces is coming to an end, it will be replaced by a new era of Aquarius. It is logical to assume that Christianity will be replaced by a new religion, since each cosmic era awakens new tendencies in human society and a certain charismatic personality appears on the historical stage, who is destined to become the head of a new religious trend. In any case, at the beginning of the era of Pisces, Jesus Christ appeared, and at the beginning of the cosmic era of Aries, which preceded the era of Christianity, the prophet Zarathushtra came to the world, proclaiming the religion of the one Lord Ahura Mazda.
Zarathushtra brought people the cosmic teaching of the Avesta and predicted the birth of a "new" Savior from the Virgin and his second coming, the Last Judgment and the resurrection of the dead. From time to time, an exceptional personality is sent to mankind, mired in sins and vices, seeking a way out of the vicious circle of problems it has created, capable of awakening in people the best that was once given to them by the Great Creator. In the Zoroastrian tradition, such a person is called Saoshyant - i.e. "Savior". Zarathushtra came into the world during the cosmic era of Aries, the Christ predicted by him incarnated on Earth and the beginning of the era of Pisces. The coming era of Aquarius promises us a new coming of the Son of God, who is able to gather under his banners the purest part of humanity.
Thought .. There is something in this ...

http://kolizej.at.ua/forum/22-155-1
For the feast of the Nativity of Christ, an exposition "Christian symbolism" has been created at the Nativity scene of the Prince Vladimir Cathedral.

: Chi \u003d X and Po \u003d P. Although not technically a cross, Hi Ro is associated with the crucifixion of Christ and symbolizes his status as Lord. It is believed to have been the first to use Chi Ro at the beginning of the 4th century. AD Emperor Constantine, decorating with it a labarum, a military standard. As the fourth-century Christian apologist Lactantius notes, on the eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 A.D. The Lord appeared to Constantine and ordered to put the image of Hi Ro on the shields of the soldiers. After the victory of Constantine at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Hi Ro became the official emblem of the empire. Archaeologists have found evidence that Hi Ro was depicted on Constantine's helmet and shield, as well as his soldiers. Khi Ro was also engraved on coins and medallions minted during the reign of Constantine. By 350 A.D. images began to appear on Christian sarcophagi and frescoes.

Philosopher A.N. Whitehead said that real symbols can change the course of history. The cup symbol is very significant. In the 15th century, an event took place, after which the cup became the personification of the courage of the Czech priest Jan Hus. He was martyred for sharing his drink with parishioners, bypassing the rules of the Roman church that only priests were allowed to share wine. For his act, he was burned at the stake. Another similar story happened with the supporters of Unitarianism, who were also persecuted for trying to democratize religious institutions.

Ikhtus (ih-tus) or ichthis in Greek means "fish".
The Greek letters used to write the word: iota, chi, theta, upsilon and sigma. In English translation, it is IXOYE. The five named Greek letters are the first letters of the words Iesous Christos, Theou Uios, Soter, which means "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior."
This symbol was used mainly among early Christians in the 1st-2nd centuries. AD The symbol was brought from Alexandria (Egypt), which at that time was a busy seaport. Goods were sent from this port throughout Europe. That is why the ichthys symbol was the first to be used by sailors to denote a god close to them.

Tau cross

After seeing the crucifixion of San Damiano, Saint Francis chose as his emblem a more ancient symbol of redemption: the Tau cross.
In commentaries on the scriptures of Israel, early Christian writers used the Greek translation of this symbol, the Septuagint, in which the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, tau, was read in Greek as "t." The stylized embodiment of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the Tau cross began to symbolize the abolition of the disobedience of the old Adam and the transformation of Christ into our Savior, the new Adam.

Latin cross, also known as Protestant cross and Western cross.
The Latin cross (crux ordinaria) serves as a symbol of Christianity, despite the fact that it was a symbol of pagans long before the founding of the Christian church.
It was created in China and Africa. His images are found on the Scandinavian statues of the Bronze Age, embodying the image of the god of war and thunder, Thor. The cross is considered a magical symbol. It brings good luck and drives away evil. Some scientists interpret the rock carvings of the cross as a symbol of the sun or a symbol of the Earth, the rays of which represent north, south, east and west. Others point to his resemblance to a human figure.

Lamb: a symbol of Christ as the Passover sacrificial lamb, as well as a symbol for Christians, reminding them that Christ is our shepherd, and Peter ordered his sheep to be fed. The Lamb also serves as the sign of Saint Agnes (her day is celebrated on January 21), the martyr of early Christianity.

Dove

Dove: symbol of the Holy Spirit, part of the cult of the Baptism of the Lord and Pentecost. It also symbolizes after death, used to summon Noah's dove, a harbinger of hope.

rose flower

Rose: Holy, Mother of God, a symbol of martyrdom, secrets of confession. The five roses combined together represent the five wounds of Christ.

Anchor

Images of this symbol in the cemetery of St. Domitilla date back to the 1st century, they are also found in the catacombs in the epitaphs of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, but there are especially many of them in the cemetery of St. Priscilla (there are only about 70 samples here), St. Calixtus, Coemetarium majus. 6:19.

The Jerusalem cross, also known as the Cross of the Crusaders, consists of five Greek crosses that symbolize: a) the five wounds of Christ; b) 4 Gospel and 4 cardinal points (4 smaller crosses) and Christ himself (large cross). The cross was a common symbol during the wars with Islamic aggressors.

consists of a Greek cross with the Greek letter "X" - the initial letter of the word Christ, symbolizing rebirth, and therefore it is associated with the rite of Baptism.

Peter's Cross When Peter was sentenced to martyrdom, he asked to be crucified upside down out of respect for Christ. Thus, an inverted Latin cross became his symbol. Moreover, it serves as a symbol of the papacy. Unfortunately, this cross is also used by Satanists, whose goal is to "revolutionize" Christianity (see, for example, their "Black Mass"), including the Latin cross.

The early Church did not know the icon in its modern dogmatic meaning. The beginning of Christian art - painting of the catacombs - is symbolic (...) It tends to depict not so much the deity as the function of the deity.

L. A. Uspensky associates the active use in the ancient Church of various symbols, rather than icon-painting images, with the fact that “in order to gradually prepare people for the truly incomprehensible mystery of the Incarnation, the Church first addressed them in a language more acceptable to them than direct image ". Also, symbolic images, in his opinion, were used as a way of hiding the Christian sacraments from the catechumens before the time of their baptism.

Thus, Cyril of Jerusalem wrote: “Everyone is allowed to hear the gospel, but the glory of the gospel is given to only sincere servants of Christ. To those who could not listen, the Lord spoke in parables, and to the disciples in private he explained parables. " The most ancient catacomb images include the scenes of "Adoration of the Magi" (about 12 frescoes with this subject have survived), which date back to the 2nd century. Also, the appearance in the catacombs of images of the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ or the fish symbolizing it dates back to the II century.

Among other symbols of catacomb painting, stand out:

anchor is an image of hope (the anchor is the support of the ship at sea, hope is the support of the soul in Christianity). This image is already present in the Epistle to the Hebrews of the Apostle Paul (Heb. 6: 18-20);
dove - a symbol of the Holy Spirit; • phoenix - a symbol of resurrection;
the eagle is a symbol of youth (“like an eagle your youth will be renewed” (Ps. 102: 5));
peacock - a symbol of immortality (according to the ancients, his body was not subject to decomposition);
the rooster is a symbol of the resurrection (the cry of the rooster awakens from sleep, and awakening, according to Christians, should remind believers of the Last Judgment and the general resurrection of the dead);
the lamb is a symbol of Jesus Christ;
lion - a symbol of strength and power;
olive branch - a symbol of eternal peace;
lily - a symbol of purity (common due to the influence of apocryphal stories about the presentation of a lily flower by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation);
a vine and a basket of bread are symbols of the Eucharist.

Description of 35 main symbols and signs of Christianity

1. Hee Ro - one of the earliest cruciform symbols of Christians. It is formed by superimposing the first two letters of the Greek version of the word Christ: Chi \u003d X and Po \u003d P. Although not technically a cross, Hi Ro is associated with the crucifixion of Christ and symbolizes his status as Lord. It is believed to have been the first to use Chi Ro at the beginning of the 4th century. AD Emperor Constantine, decorating with it a labarum, a military standard. As the fourth-century Christian apologist Lactantius notes, on the eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 A.D. The Lord appeared to Constantine and ordered to put the image of Hi Ro on the shields of the soldiers. After the victory of Constantine at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Hi Ro became the official emblem of the empire. Archaeologists have found evidence that Hi Ro was depicted on Constantine's helmet and shield, as well as his soldiers. Khi Ro was also engraved on coins and medallions minted during the reign of Constantine. By 350 A.D. images began to appear on Christian sarcophagi and frescoes.

2. Lamb: a symbol of Christ as the Passover sacrificial lamb, as well as a symbol for Christians, reminding them that Christ is our shepherd, and Peter ordered his sheep to be fed. The Lamb also serves as the sign of Saint Agnes (her day is celebrated on January 21), the martyr of early Christianity.

3. Baptismal cross: consists of a Greek cross with the Greek letter "X" - the initial letter of the word Christ, symbolizing rebirth, and therefore it is associated with the rite of Baptism.

4. Peter's Cross: when Peter was sentenced to martyrdom, he asked to be crucified upside down out of respect for Christ. Thus, an inverted Latin cross became his symbol. In addition, it serves as a symbol of the papacy. Unfortunately, this cross is also used by Satanists, whose goal is to "revolutionize" Christianity (see, for example, their "Black Mass"), including the Latin cross.

5. Ichthus(ih-tus) or ichthis in Greek means "fish". The Greek letters used to write the word: iota, chi, theta, upsilon and sigma. In English translation, it is IXOYE. The five named Greek letters are the first letters of the words Iesous Christos, Theou Uios, Soter, which means "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior." This symbol was used mainly among early Christians in the 1st-2nd centuries. AD The symbol was brought from Alexandria (Egypt), which at that time was a busy seaport. Goods were sent from this port throughout Europe. That is why the ichthys symbol was the first to be used by sailors to denote a god close to them.

6. rose flower: Holy Virgin, Mother of God, symbol of martyrdom, secrets of confession. The five roses combined together represent the five wounds of Christ.

7. Jerusalem cross: also known as the Cross of the Crusaders, it consists of five Greek crosses that symbolize: a) the five wounds of Christ; b) 4 Gospel and 4 cardinal points (4 smaller crosses) and Christ himself (large cross). The cross was a common symbol during the wars with Islamic aggressors.

8. Latin cross, also known as the Protestant cross and the western cross. The Latin cross (crux ordinaria) serves as a symbol of Christianity, despite the fact that it was a symbol of pagans long before the founding of the Christian church. It was created in China and Africa. His images are found on the Scandinavian statues of the Bronze Age, embodying the image of the god of war and thunder, Thor. The cross is considered a magical symbol. It brings good luck and drives away evil. Some scientists interpret the rock carvings of the cross as a symbol of the sun or a symbol

Earth, whose rays represent north, south, east and west. Others point to his resemblance to a human figure.

9. Dove: symbol of the Holy Spirit, part of the cult of the Baptism of the Lord and Pentecost. It also symbolizes the liberation of the soul after death, used to summon the dove of Noah, a harbinger of hope.

10... Anchor: Images of this symbol in the cemetery of St. Domitilla date back to the 1st century, they are also found in the catacombs in the epitaphs of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, but there are especially many of them in the cemetery of St. Priscilla (there are only about 70 samples here), St. Calixtus, Coemetarium majus. 6:19.

11. Eight-pointed cross: the eight-pointed cross is also called the Orthodox cross or the cross of St. Lazarus. The smallest crossbar denotes the title, where it was written "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews", the upper end of the cross - the way to the Kingdom of Heaven, which Christ showed. The seven-pointed cross is a variation of the Orthodox cross, where the titlo is attached not across the cross, but on top.

12. Ship: is an ancient Christian symbol that symbolized the church and each individual believer. Crosses with a crescent moon, which can be seen in many churches, just depict such a ship, where the cross is a sail.

13. Calvary cross: the cross-Calvary is monastic (or schematic). It symbolizes the sacrifice of Christ. Widespread in ancient times, now the cross-Golgotha \u200b\u200bis embroidered only on paraman and analava.

14. Vine: is the gospel image of Christ. This symbol has its own meaning for the Church: its members are branches, and grapes are a symbol of Communion. In the New Testament, the vine is the symbol of Paradise.

15... IHS: Another popular monogram of the name of Christ. These are the three letters of the Greek name for Jesus. But with the decline of Greece, other, Latin, monograms with the name of the Savior began to appear, often in combination with a cross.

16. Triangle - the symbol of the Holy Trinity. Each side represents the Hypostasis of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All sides are equal, and together form a single whole.

17. Arrows, or a ray piercing the heart - an allusion to the statement of St. Augustine in Confessions. Three arrows piercing the heart symbolize the prophecy of Simeon.

18. Skull or Adam's head is equally a symbol of death and a symbol of victory over it. According to Holy Tradition, Adam's ashes were on Calvary when Christ was crucified. The blood of the savior, having washed Adam's skull, symbolically washed all of humanity and gave him a chance for salvation.

19. Eagle - a symbol of ascension. He is a symbol of the soul seeking God. Often - a symbol of new life, justice, courage and faith. The eagle also symbolizes the evangelist Jaonna.

20. All-seeing eye - a symbol of omniscience, omniscience and wisdom. Usually it is depicted inscribed in a triangle - the symbol of the Trinity. Can also symbolize hope.

21. Seraphim - the angels closest to God. They are six-winged and carry fiery swords, and can have from one to 16 faces. As a symbol, they mean the purifying fire of the spirit, divine heat and love.

22. Bread - This is a reference to the biblical episode when five thousand people were fed with five loaves of bread. Bread is depicted in the form of ears (the sheaves symbolize the gathering of the apostles) or in the form of loaves for communion.

23. Good Shepherd. The main source of this image is the Gospel parable, in which Christ Himself calls Himself so (John 10: 11-16). The actual image of the Shepherd is rooted in the Old Testament, where often the leaders of the people of Israel (Moses - Is 63:11, Joshua - Numbers 27: 16-17, King David in Psalms 77, 71, 23) are called shepherds, about the Lord Himself it is said - "The Lord, my Shepherd" (Ps to the Lord says - "The Lord, my Shepherd" (Ps 23: 1-2). Thus, Christ in the Gospel parable indicates the fulfillment of prophecy and the finding of consolation by the people of God. has a clear meaning to everyone, so that even today in Christianity it is customary to call priests shepherds, and laity - the flock.Christ the Shepherd is depicted as an ancient shepherd, dressed in a tunic, in shepherd's laced sandals, often with a staff and a vessel for milk; in his hands he can hold a reed flute. The milk container symbolizes the Communion; the rod is power; the flute is the sweetness of His teaching (“No one has ever spoken like this man” - John 7:46) and hope, hope. This is the mosaic of the beginning of the 4th century. from Aquileia.

24. Burning bush Is a thorn bush that burns but does not burn. In his image, God appeared to Moses, calling him to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. The burning bush is also a symbol of the Mother of God, who was touched by the Holy Spirit.

25. a lion - a symbol of vigilance and Resurrection, and one of the symbols of Christ. He is also a symbol of the Evangelist Mark, and is associated with the power and royal dignity of Christ.

26. calf (bull or ox) - the symbol of the Evangelist Luke. Taurus means the sacrificial service of the Savior, his sacrifice on the Cross. Also, the ox is considered a symbol of all martyrs.

27. Angel symbolizes the human nature of Christ, his earthly embodiment. It is also a symbol of the Evangelist Matthew.

28. Grail - This is a vessel into which Joseph of Arimathea allegedly collected blood from the wounds of Jesus Christ at the crucifixion. The history of this vessel, which acquired miraculous power, was described by the French writer of the early 12th century Chrétien de Troyes and a century later in more detail by Robert de Voron on the basis of apocryphal gospel from Nicodemus. According to legend, the Grail is kept in a mountain castle, it is filled with sacred guests, serving for the sacrament and giving miraculous powers. The fanatical search for the relic by the knights-crusaders largely contributed to the creation of the legend of the Grail, processed and formalized with the participation of many authors and culminated in the legends of Parsifal and Gilead.

29. Nimbus is a brilliant circle that ancient Greek and Roman artists, depicting gods and heroes, were often placed above their heads, denoting that they were higher, unearthly, supernatural beings. In the iconography of Christianity, the halo from ancient times has become the property of images of the hypostases of the Holy Trinity, angels, the Mother of God and saints; he often accompanied the Lamb of God and the figures of animals, which serve as symbols of the four evangelists. At the same time, halos of a special kind were established for some icons. For example, the face of God the Father was placed under a halo, which at first had the form

triangle, and then the shape of a six-pointed star formed by two equilateral triangles. The nimbus of the Virgin Mary is always round and often exquisitely decorated. Halos of saints or other divine persons, as a rule, are round and without ornaments.

30. Church in Christian symbolism, the church has several meanings. Its main meaning is the House of God. It can also be understood as the Body of Christ. Sometimes the church is associated with the ark, and in this sense it means salvation for all of its parishioners. In painting, a church placed in the hands of a saint means that this saint "was the founder or bishop of the given church. However, the church is in the hands of St. Jerome and St. Gregory does not mean any particular building, but the Church in general, to which these saints have given tremendous support and became her first fathers.

31. Pelican, a beautiful legend is associated with this bird, existing in dozens of slightly different variants, but very similar in meaning to the ideas of the Gospel: self-sacrifice, deification through communion of the Body and Blood of Christ. Pelicans live in coastal reeds near a warm Mediterranean Sea and are often bitten by snakes. Adult birds feed on them and are immune to their poison, but chicks are not yet. According to legend, if the pelican chicks are bitten by a poisonous snake, then he pecks his own chest in order to commune them with blood with the necessary antibodies and thus save their lives. Therefore, the pelican was often depicted on sacred vessels or in places of Christian worship.

32. Chrism Is a monogram composed of the first letters of the Greek word "Christ" - "Anointed One." Some researchers mistakenly identify this Christian symbol with the double-edged ax of Zeus - "Labarum". The Greek letters "a" and "ω" are sometimes placed along the edges of the monogram. Chrismas were depicted on the sarcophagi of the martyrs, in the mosaics of the baptistery (baptized), on the shields of soldiers and even on Roman coins - after the era of persecution.

33. Lily - a symbol of Christian purity, purity and beauty. The first images of lilies, judging by the Song of Songs, served as an adornment of the temple of Solomon. According to legend, the Archangel Gabriel on the day of the Annunciation came to the Virgin Mary with a white lily, which has since become a symbol of Her purity, innocence and devotion to God. With the same flower, Christians depicted saints glorified by the purity of their lives, martyrs and martyrs.

34. Phoenix represents the image of the Resurrection associated with the ancient legend of the eternal bird. Phoenix lived for several centuries and when the time came for him to die, he flew to Egypt and burned there. Only a pile of nutritious ash remained from the bird, in which, after a while, a new life was born. Soon a new rejuvenated Phoenix rose from it and flew away in search of adventure.

35. Cock - This is a symbol of the general resurrection that awaits everyone at the Second Coming of Christ. Just as the crowing of a rooster awakens people from sleep, the trumpets of angels will awaken people at the end of times to meet the Lord, the Last Judgment and inherit a new life.

Color symbols of Christianity

The most significant difference between the "pagan" period of color symbolism from the "Christian" period is, first of all, in the fact that light and color finally cease to be identified with God, mystical forces, and become their

attributes, qualities and signs. According to Christian canons, God created the world, including light (color), but he himself is not reduced to light. Medieval theologians (for example, Aurelius Augustine), while praising light and color as manifestations of the divine, nevertheless, point out that they (colors) can be deceitful (from Satan) and their identification with God is a delusion and even sin.

White

Only white remains an unshakable symbol of holiness and spirituality. Especially important was such a meaning of white as purity and purity, deliverance from sins. Angels, saints, the risen Christ are depicted in white robes. Newly converted Christians wore white robes. Also, white is the color of baptism, communion, the holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Easter, Ascension. In the Orthodox Church, white is used in all divine services from Easter to Trinity Day. The Holy Spirit is depicted as a white dove. The white lily symbolizes purity, it accompanies the images of the Virgin Mary. White has no negative meanings in Christianity. In early Christianity, the positive symbolic meaning of yellow prevailed, as the color of the Holy Spirit, divine revelation, enlightenment, etc. But later, yellow takes on a negative connotation. In the Gothic era, they begin to consider him the color of betrayal, betrayal, deceit, jealousy. In church art, Cain and the traitor Judas Iscariot were often depicted with yellow beards.

Gold

Used in Christian painting as an expression of divine revelation. The golden glow embodies the eternal divine light. Many people perceive the golden color as starlight descending from heaven.

Red

In Christianity, it symbolizes the blood of Christ shed for the salvation of people, and, consequently, his love for people. This is the color of the fire of faith, martyrdom and the passion of the Lord, as well as the royal triumph of justice and victory over evil. Red is the color of services on the feast of the Holy Spirit, Palm Sunday, during Holy Week, on the days of commemoration of the martyrs who shed blood for their faith. The red rose indicates the shed blood and wounds of Christ, the cup that receives the "holy blood." Therefore, it symbolizes rebirth in this context. Joyful events dedicated to Christ, the Mother of God and the saints were marked in red on the calendar. From the church calendar, a tradition has come to us to highlight holiday dates in red. The Easter of Christ in churches begins in white vestments as a sign of Divine light. But already the Easter Liturgy (in some churches it is customary to change the vestments, so that the priest appears each time in a vestment of a different color) and the whole week is served in red vestments. Often, red robes are used before Trinity.

Blue

It is the color of heaven, truth, humility, immortality, chastity, piety, baptism, harmony. He expressed the idea of \u200b\u200bself-sacrifice and meekness. The blue color, as it were, mediates the connection between heavenly and earthly, between God and the world. As the color of air, blue expresses a person's willingness to accept the presence and power of God for himself, blue has become the color of faith, the color of fidelity, the color of striving for something mysterious and wonderful. Blue is the color of the Virgin Mary, it is customary to depict her in a blue cloak. Mary in this sense is the Queen of Heaven, covering

with this cloak, protecting and saving believers (Pokrovsky Cathedral). In the paintings of temples dedicated to the Mother of God, the color of heavenly blue prevails. Dark blue is typical for the depiction of the clothes of cherubim, who are constantly in awe of meditation.

Green

This color was more "earthly", meant life, spring, the flowering of nature, youth. This is the color of the Cross of Christ, the Grail (according to legend, carved from a whole emerald). Green is identified with the great Trinity. On this holiday, according to tradition, it is customary to decorate churches and apartments with bouquets of green twigs. Along with this, green also had negative meanings - deceit, temptation, devilish temptation (green eyes were attributed to Satan).

The black

The attitude towards black was mainly negative, as the color of evil, sin, devil and hell, as well as death. In the meanings of black, as in primitive peoples, the aspect of "ritual death", death for the world, has been preserved and even developed. Therefore, black became the color of monasticism. The black raven among Christians meant trouble. But black has more than just such a tragic meaning. In icon painting, in some subjects, it means a divine secret. For example, on a black background, which signified the incomprehensible depth of the Universe, they depicted Cosmos - an old man in a crown in the icon of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

Purple

It is formed by mixing red and blue (cyan). Thus, violet combines the beginning and the end of the light spectrum. It symbolizes secret knowledge, silence, spirituality. In early Christianity, purple symbolized sadness, affection. This color is assimilated to the memories of the Cross and Lenten services, where the sufferings and the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ for the sake of the salvation of people are remembered. As a sign of higher spirituality, combined with the concept of the Savior's feat of the cross, this color is used for the bishop's mantle, so that the Orthodox bishop, as it were, clothe himself in the feat of the cross of the Heavenly Bishop, whose image and imitator the bishop is in the Church.

Brown and gray

Brown and gray were the colors of the commoners. Their symbolic meaning, especially in early middle ages, was, especially, negative. They meant poverty, hopelessness, wretchedness, abomination, etc. Brown is the color of earth, sadness. It symbolizes humility, rejection of worldly life. Gray color (a mixture of white and black, good and evil) is the color of ash, emptiness. After the ancient era during the Middle Ages in Europe, color again regained its position, first of all, as a symbol of mystical forces and phenomena, which is especially characteristic of early Christianity.