Christian symbols and meanings

[gtsecc]

Let’s see if we can get a fairly comprehensive list going here.

And, maybe I can sharpen up the meanings of some things, which I have a rough idea about, but might miss all of the meanings an items posses.



The Labyrinth – A Pagan symbol we have adopted? Symbolizes our journey through life has a lot of turns, and God helps us with this...? I can see it as a metaphor for life's journey, but not necessarily how it is a metaphor for a "Christian" life's journey.

The Nine Stars on the ECUSA flag – Nine original Dioceses in the shape of St. Andrew’s cross in acknowledging that our first Bishops were consecrated in Scotland?

[AveMaria]

I was once told that the Labyrinth is a symbolic/metaphoric pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but I'm not well informed enough on the topic to know how factual this is. Anyhow, here's a few I can think of, off the top of my head.

* Alpha & Omega - First and last letter of Greek alphabet, beginning and end, eternal nature of Christ.

* Dove - symbolizes the Holy Spirit, from Matthew 3:16 (Jesus' baptism).

* Fleur de Lys - a stylized lily flower, symbolizes purity and is sometimes used in reference to the Blessed Virgin. Adopted by French royalty as a heraldry symbol. Also sometimes used to symbolize the Holy Trinity.

[pmcleanj]

Chi-Rho: A tall thin "P"- shape -- actually the greek letter rho which is equivalent to the Roman "R" -- intersecting a smaller "X" shape -- the greek letter chi which is equivalent to the Roman "CH". A symbol for Christ, being the first two letters of the wordxristos, or "christ".

Trinity Rose: Three intersecting circles, or a simple Celtic knot with three lobes, symbolizing the indivisibility and balance between the Persons of the Trinity.

Circle: the changeless eternal nature of God.

Fish: A visual pun on the acrostic Iesous Xristos Theou Uiou Soter ("ichthus" = "fish"): Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour, and as such a symbol for Christ; said to have been used as a secret recognition symbol by persecuted second-century Christians.

Anchor, Cross and Heart: Faith, hope and love, respectively.

Lamb (especially a lamb carrying a cross, which actually looks rather silly): Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God, Christ's sacrifice upon the cross.

[TomUK]

Incense, symbolizing (among other things) our prayers rising up to God.

[Songspinner]

Aspergies (or any type of holy water), reminding us of our baptism

[AveMaria]

* St. Andrew's Cross, which is shaped like a "X". Tradition says St. Andrew specificially requested to be crucified on a differently shaped cross.

* scallop shell - pilgrimage, baptism.

* trefoil (a stylized shamrock) - the Holy Trinity, relates to St. Patrick.

* rainbow - God's faithfulness & reconciliation to His faithful. This comes from the story of the flood, when God placed the rainbow in the sky as a seal of His promise to never again destroy the earth with a flood.