By the early 3rd century the cross had become so closely associated with
Christ that Clement of Alexandria, who died between 211 and
216, could without fear of ambiguity use the phrase τὸ κυριακὸν σημεῖον (the Lord's sign) to mean the
cross, when he repeated the idea, current as early as the Epistle of Barnabas, that the number 318 (in Greek numerals, ΤΙΗ) in Genesis 14:14 was a
foreshadowing (a "type") of the cross (T, an upright with crossbar, standing for
300) and of Jesus (ΙΗ, the first two letters of his name ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, standing for
18).[5]
His contemporary Tertullian could designate the body of Christian
believers as crucis religiosi, i.e. "devotees of the Cross".[6] In his
book De Corona, written in 204, Tertullian tells how it was already a
tradition for Christians to trace repeatedly on their foreheads the sign of the
cross
Christ that Clement of Alexandria, who died between 211 and
216, could without fear of ambiguity use the phrase τὸ κυριακὸν σημεῖον (the Lord's sign) to mean the
cross, when he repeated the idea, current as early as the Epistle of Barnabas, that the number 318 (in Greek numerals, ΤΙΗ) in Genesis 14:14 was a
foreshadowing (a "type") of the cross (T, an upright with crossbar, standing for
300) and of Jesus (ΙΗ, the first two letters of his name ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, standing for
18).[5]
His contemporary Tertullian could designate the body of Christian
believers as crucis religiosi, i.e. "devotees of the Cross".[6] In his
book De Corona, written in 204, Tertullian tells how it was already a
tradition for Christians to trace repeatedly on their foreheads the sign of the
cross
The use since the earliest Christianity of the first and the last letters of the
Greek alphabet, alpha (α or Α) and omega (ω or Ω), derives from the
statement said by Jesus (or God) himself "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
First and the Last, the Beginning and the End"
Greek alphabet, alpha (α or Α) and omega (ω or Ω), derives from the
statement said by Jesus (or God) himself "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
First and the Last, the Beginning and the End"
The tau was considered a symbol of salvation due to the identification of the
tau with the sign which in Ezechiel 9:4 was marked
on the forehead of the saved ones, or due to the tau-shaped outstretched hands
of Moses
in Exodus 17:11.[14] The
rho by itself can refer to Christ as Messiah because Abraham, taken as symbol of the Messiah,
generated Isaac according to a promise made by God when he
was one hundred years old, and 100 is the value of rho.[15]:158
tau with the sign which in Ezechiel 9:4 was marked
on the forehead of the saved ones, or due to the tau-shaped outstretched hands
of Moses
in Exodus 17:11.[14] The
rho by itself can refer to Christ as Messiah because Abraham, taken as symbol of the Messiah,
generated Isaac according to a promise made by God when he
was one hundred years old, and 100 is the value of rho.[15]:158
The dove as a Christian symbol is of very frequent
occurrence in ancient ecclesiastical art.[19]
According to Matthew 3:16, during the
Baptism of Jesus the Holy
Spirit descended like a dove and came to rest on Jesus. For this
reason the dove became a symbol of the Holy Spirit and in general it occurs
frequently in connection with early representations of baptism. It signifies
also the Christian soul, not the human soul as such, but as indwelt
by the Holy Spirit; especially, therefore, as freed from the toils of the flesh
and entered into rest and glory.[2] The Peristerium or Eucharistic dove was often
used in the past, and sometime still used in Eastern
Christianity, as Church tabernacle.
occurrence in ancient ecclesiastical art.[19]
According to Matthew 3:16, during the
Baptism of Jesus the Holy
Spirit descended like a dove and came to rest on Jesus. For this
reason the dove became a symbol of the Holy Spirit and in general it occurs
frequently in connection with early representations of baptism. It signifies
also the Christian soul, not the human soul as such, but as indwelt
by the Holy Spirit; especially, therefore, as freed from the toils of the flesh
and entered into rest and glory.[2] The Peristerium or Eucharistic dove was often
used in the past, and sometime still used in Eastern
Christianity, as Church tabernacle.
The Christians adopted the anchor as a symbol of hope in future existence
because the anchor was regarded in ancient times as a symbol of safety. For
Christians, Christ is the unfailing hope of all who believe in him: Saint
Peter, Saint Paul, and several of the early Church Fathers speak in this sense. The Epistle
to the Hebrews 6:19-20 for the first
time connects the idea of hope with the symbol of the anchor.[23]
because the anchor was regarded in ancient times as a symbol of safety. For
Christians, Christ is the unfailing hope of all who believe in him: Saint
Peter, Saint Paul, and several of the early Church Fathers speak in this sense. The Epistle
to the Hebrews 6:19-20 for the first
time connects the idea of hope with the symbol of the anchor.[23]
The initials of the name of Jesus in Greek, iota (Ι) and eta (Η), sometime superimposed one on the
other, or their numeric value 18, was a well known and very early
way to represent Christ.[17] This
symbol was already explained in the Epistle of Barnabas and by Clement
of Alexandria.[5] For
other christograms such as IHS, see Article Christogram.
other, or their numeric value 18, was a well known and very early
way to represent Christ.[17] This
symbol was already explained in the Epistle of Barnabas and by Clement
of Alexandria.[5] For
other christograms such as IHS, see Article Christogram.