Christogram Facts for Kids

The Chrismon, an early Christian symbol

The Chi-Rho symbol with Alpha and Omega on a sarcophagus from the 4th century (Vatican Museums)

A Christogram is a special symbol or group of letters. It's like a short way to write the name of Jesus Christ. These symbols have been used by Christians for a very long time. They help people remember Jesus and show their faith.

There are many different Christograms. Each one uses letters from the Greek or Latin names for Jesus or Christ. These symbols are important parts of Christian symbolism.

Understanding Christograms
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Understanding Christograms

Christograms are often made by combining the first few letters of Jesus's name. For example, the name "Christ" in Greek starts with the letters Chi (Χ) and Rho (Ρ). These two letters are used to create the Chi-Rho symbol.

The Chi-Rho Symbol

The Chi-Rho (☧) is one of the oldest Christograms. It looks like the Greek letters Chi (Χ) and Rho (Ρ placed on top of each other. These are the first two letters of the Greek word for 'Christ' (χριστός).

This symbol became very famous in 312 CE. The Roman Emperor Constantine I used it on his military flag, called a labarum. This was before a big battle. After winning, he believed the symbol helped him.

Sometimes, the Chi-Rho symbol is shown with the letters Alpha and Omega (Α and Ω). These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. They represent God as the beginning and the end of everything.

The IHS Symbol

In Western Christianity, especially among Catholics and Protestants, "IHS" is a very common Christogram. It stands for the first three letters of Jesus's name in Greek, which is ΙΗΣΟΥΣ.

The Greek letters are iota (I), eta (H), and sigma (S or C). So, "IHS" or "IHC" are both used. Before the 17th century, the letters 'I' and 'J' were often used interchangeably. This is why you might also see "JHS."

People sometimes think "IHS" means other things, like "In His Service" or "Jesus Hominum Salvator" (which means 'Jesus, Savior of men' in Latin). These are later interpretations.

In the 15th century, Saint Bernardino of Siena helped make the IHS symbol very popular. He often showed it inside a blazing sun. This symbol is also part of the emblem for the Jesuits, a Catholic religious order.

Gallery of IHS Symbols

IHS or JHS Christogram, common in Western Christianity
An IHC monogram in a medieval style
An intertwined IHS monogram on a church ceiling in France
An IHC monogram from an old abbey in Ireland
The Jesuit emblem from a 1586 print
The ΙΗΣ symbol on the Reformation Wall in Geneva, Switzerland
A church door showing the IHS Christogram

The ICXC Symbol

In Eastern Christianity, a common Christogram is "ΙϹ ΧϹ." This is a short way of writing 'Jesus Christ' in Greek. It uses the first and last letters of each word: ΙΗϹΟΥϹ (Jesus) and ΧΡΙϹΤΟϹ (Christ). The 'Ϲ' is a special Greek letter called a lunate sigma.

You often see this symbol on icons, which are religious paintings. Sometimes, it's split with 'ΙϹ' on one side of an image and 'ΧϹ' on the other. You might also see it as 'ΙϹ ΧϹ ΝΙΚΑ', which means 'Jesus Christ Conquers' in Greek.

Gallery of ICXC Symbols

The 'ΙϹ ΧϹ ΝΙΚΑ' symbol in medieval Greek tradition
An 'ΙϹ ΧϹ ΝΙΚΑ' cross on a 12th-century coin
The Christ Pantocrator on the Holy Crown of Hungary
Christ Pantocrator, Church of the Holy Sepulchre (1810)

The Lhq Symbol in Japan

When Francis Xavier brought Christianity to Japan in 1549, it grew quickly. But later, during the Edo period (1603–1867), Christians faced harsh treatment. They had to hide their faith.

Because they couldn't openly show images of Christ or Mary, they used secret symbols. Some Japanese lanterns, called Kirishitan dōrō ('Christian lanterns'), had a hidden "Lhq" symbol. This symbol, when turned, looked like the letters 'IHS'. It was a secret sign understood only by other Christians.

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An IX monogram
An IH monogram

Christogram facts for kids

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