The fish symbol can be found in ancient Christian images. What does the fish symbol mean in Christianity? In the Greek word ICHTHYS (fish) Christians ancient Church saw a mysterious acrostic composed of the first letters of a sentence expressing confession Christian faith: Jesous Christos Theou Yios Soter - Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. “If the first letters of these Greek words are combined together, the word ICHTHYS, that is, “fish,” is obtained. The name of the fish mysteriously refers to Christ, because in the abyss of real mortality, as if in the depths of water, He could remain alive, that is. sinless"(Blessed Augustine. About the City of God. XVIII. 23.1).

Professor A.P. Golubtsov suggested: “This literal meaning of the word ICHTHYS was early noticed by Christian exegetes, and, probably, in Alexandria - this center of allegorical interpretation - the mysterious meaning of this famous word was first brought to light" (From readings on church archeology and liturgics. St. Petersburg ., 1995. P. 156).

However, it must be definitely said: not only the observation of a letter coincidence led to the fact that among the Christians of the Primitive Church, fish became a symbol of Jesus Christ. The consciousness of the ancient disciples of the Divine Savior undoubtedly found support for such an understanding in the Holy Gospel. The Lord says: Is there such a person among you who, when his son asks him for bread, would give him a stone? and when he asks for a fish, would you give him a snake? So if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:9-11).

The symbolism is clear and expressive: the fish points to Christ, and the serpent to the devil. When more than four thousand people were fed, the Lord performed a miracle of multiplying the loaves and fishes: And taking the seven loaves and fishes, he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples to the people. And they all ate and were filled (Matthew 15:36–37). During another miracle of feeding the people there were five loaves of bread and two fish (see: Matt. 14: 17–21).

The Eucharistic understanding of the first and second saturation is evidenced by an image made on the wall of one of the Roman catacombs of St. Callistus: a swimming fish holds on its back a wicker basket with five loaves of bread and a glass vessel with red wine under them.

Ancient Christian writers did not limit themselves to the symbolic comparison of Jesus Christ with a fish. They extended this comparison to the followers of the Savior. Thus, Tertullian wrote: “ The sacrament of our water is life-giving, for, having washed away the sins of yesterday’s blindness with it, we are freed for eternal life!<…>We, fish, following our “fish” (ICHTHYS) Jesus Christ, are born in water, we preserve life only by remaining in water"(On baptism. 1.1).

Clement of Alexandria in his “Hymn to Christ the Savior” also compares the followers of Jesus Christ to fish:Eternal Joy of Life, Mortal Savior, Jesus, Shepherd, Plowman, Feeder, Bridle, Heavenly Wing of the holy flock! The fisher of men being rescued from the sea of ​​wickedness! Catching pure fish from a wave hostile to sweet life! Lead us sheep
Shepherd of the wise!"(Teacher. Conclusion)

Father Job Gumerov

For our readers: fish is a symbol of Christianity with detailed description from various sources.

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

The emergence of Christian symbols

Eucharistic bread and fish (catacombs of St. Callistus)

The first Christian symbolic images appear in the paintings of the Roman catacombs and date back to the period of persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. During this period, the symbols had the character of secret writing, allowing fellow believers to recognize each other, but the meaning of the symbols already reflected the emerging Christian theology. Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann notes:

L. A. Uspensky associates the active use in the ancient Church of various symbols, rather than iconographic 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 of hiding Christian sacraments from catechumens until the time of their baptism. So Cyril of Jerusalem wrote: “ All are permitted to hear the gospel, but the glory of the gospel is reserved to the sincere Servants of Christ alone. The Lord spoke in parables to those who could not listen, and He explained parables to the disciples in private.».

The oldest catacomb images include scenes of the “Adoration of the Magi” (about 12 frescoes with this plot have been preserved), which date back to the 2nd century. Also dating back to the 2nd century is the appearance in the catacombs of images of the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ or the fish symbolizing it. Among other symbols of catacomb painting, the following stand out:

• anchor - an image of hope (an anchor is the support of a ship at sea, hope acts as a support for the soul in Christianity). This image is already present in the Epistle to the Hebrews of the Apostle Paul (Heb. 6:18-20);
• dove - symbol of the Holy Spirit;
• phoenix - symbol of resurrection;
• eagle - symbol of youth ( “Your youth will be renewed like an eagle”(Ps. 103:5));
• the peacock is a symbol of immortality (according to the ancients, its body was not subject to decomposition);
• the rooster is a symbol of resurrection (the crow of a rooster awakens from sleep, and awakening, according to Christians, should remind believers of Last Judgment and the general resurrection of the dead);
• the lamb is a symbol of Jesus Christ;
• lion is 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);
• the vine and the basket of bread are symbols of the Eucharist.

Characteristics of individual characters

Cross

Cross (Crucifixion)- an image of the Crucifixion of Christ, usually sculptural or relief. The image of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified is the main symbol of the Christian religion; it is necessarily present in Christian churches, as well as among believers as body symbols. 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. Crucifixions themselves first appear in V-VI centuries, and on the oldest of them Christ is depicted alive, in robes and crowned. The crown of thorns, wounds and blood collected in a cup appear in the late Middle Ages, along with other details that have a mystical or symbolic meaning.

Until the 9th century inclusive, 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.

Ichthys

Ίχθύς (marble stele, early 3rd century)

Ichthys(ancient Greek Ίχθύς - fish) - 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 the Savior) that is, expresses in brief th form of confession of the Christian faith.

The New Testament connects the symbolism of the fish 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 image of the fish itself also has a Eucharistic meaning associated with the following meals described in the Gospel:

Good Shepherd

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

The first known images of the Good Shepherd date back to the 2nd century. His image in the Roman catacombs dates back to this period (detail of the painting of the crypt of Lucina in the catacombs of St. Callistus, catacombs of Domitilla). In 210 AD e. Tertullian testified that he saw the image of the Good Shepherd on communion cups and lamps.

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

Lamb

The image of a lamb is also a symbolic image of Jesus Christ and represents the Old Testament prototype of his sacrifice on the cross (Abel’s sacrifice, Abraham’s sacrifice, the Jewish Passover sacrificial lamb). 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 part of the prosphora with which believers receive communion) and its image is found on liturgical vessels.

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

Some honest icons depict a lamb being shown by the finger of the Forerunner, which is accepted as the image of grace, through the law showing us the true lamb, Christ our God. While we honor the ancient images and canopies devoted to the Church as signs and foretellings of truth, we prefer grace and truth, accepting it as the fulfillment of the law. For this reason, so that through the art of painting the perfect thing may be presented to the eyes of all, we command from now on the image of the lamb who takes away the sins of the world, Christ our God, to be represented on icons according to human nature, instead of the old lamb...

Chrism

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

Chrism or chrismon (Chi-Rho) - monogram of the name of Christ, which consists of two initial Greek letters of the name (Greek ΧΡΙΣΤΌΣ) - Χ (hee) and Ρ (ro), crossed with each other. Greek letters are placed along the edges of the monogram Α And ω . This use of these letters goes back to the text of the Apocalypse: “I am 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). Christianity became widespread in epigraphy, on the 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 is for the labarum (lat. Labarum) - an ancient Roman military standard (vexillum) of a special type. Emperor Constantine the Great introduced it into his troops after he saw the sign of the Cross in the sky on the eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312). The labarum had a chrism at the end of the shaft, and on the panel itself there was an inscription: lat. “Hoc vince” (slav. “With this win”, lit. “With this win”). The first mention of labarum is found in Lactantius (d. about 320).

Alpha and Omega

Notes

Literature

• Uvarov A. S. Christian symbolism. - St. Petersburg: Aletheia, 2001. - P. 256. - ISBN 5-89865-004-0.
• Demakov S.I., Bushueva E.N. Great mysteries hidden in small words. A book about the methods of patristic interpretations of the Bible, about language orthodox symbols and about the symbolic subtext of the Gospel parables. - 2nd ed., rev. and additional.. - Vyatka, 2016. - P. 189.

Ichthys(ancient Greek Ίχθύς - fish) - an ancient acronym (monogram) of the name of Jesus Christ, consisting of the initial letters of the words: Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ (Jesus Christ God's Son the Savior).

Often depicted in an allegorical way - in the form of a fish.

Symbolic meaning

The acronym IHTIS (ΙΧΘΥΣ) is built on the use of the following letters:

Thus, this abbreviation expresses in short form the confession of the Christian faith.

Gospel symbolism

The New Testament connects the symbolism of fish with the preaching of Christ's disciples, many of whom were fishermen. Jesus Christ calls his disciples " fishers of men"(Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17), and the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to" a net thrown into the sea and catching fish of all kinds"(Matthew 13:47).

“The Last Supper”, fresco from the 13th century. in the cave church, Cappadocia. The Body of Christ in the Grail is depicted as a fish

The image of a fish also has a Eucharistic meaning associated with the following meals described in the Gospel:

• feeding the people in the desert with loaves and fishes (Mark 6:34-44, Mark 8:1-9);
• the meal of Christ and the apostles on Lake Tiberias after his Resurrection (John 21:9-22).

These scenes were often depicted in the catacombs, connecting with the Last Supper.

The sign was also associated with Alpha from the words of Jesus Christ: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Rev. 22:13).

Symbol occurrence time

In early Christian art, images of Christ were an unacceptable subject due to persecution, so various symbolic codes arose. Images of the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ or the fish symbolizing it appear in the Roman catacombs in the 2nd century. About widespread use of this symbol evidenced by the mention of him by Tertullian at the beginning of the 3rd century:

We are little fish, led by our ikhthus, we are born in water and can only be saved by being in water.

Features of the symbol image

Ίχθύς Early Christian inscription,

• Monogram without any drawings.
• Fish(with and without the monogram ΙΧΘΥΣ) - can be depicted symbolically.
• A fish carrying on its back a basket of bread and a bottle of wine,- a symbol of Christ carrying the sacrament.
• Dolphin- symbolizes Christ as a guide through chaos and disastrous abysses. A dolphin with an anchor or a ship represents the church, and a dolphin pierced by a trident or chained to an anchor is Christ crucified on the cross.

Currently

At the end of the 20th century, ichthys became a popular symbol among Protestants in different countries. They place this sticker on cars.

Opponents of creationism began to parody this sign by sticking a fish sign with the word “Darwin” and small legs on their cars.

Notes

Links

• Ichthys // encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.

The image of a fish is often found in meeting places of early Christians, in catacombs and cemeteries Ancient Rome and Greece, as well as in medieval Christian architecture. There are several complementary theories as to why fish became a symbol of Christianity.

Instructions

Proponents of the first theory argue that the fish was chosen as a symbol of the new faith and an identifying mark among the early Christians, since the Greek spelling of this word is an acronym for the main tenet of the Christian faith. “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior” - this was and remains to this day the religion of Christianity, and the first

these words in Greek (Ἰησοὺς Χριστὸς Θεoὺ ῾Υιὸς Σωτήρ) form the word Ίχθύς, “ichthys”, “fish”. According to this theory, early Christians, depicting the sign of the fish, professed their faith and at the same time recognized their fellow believers. In Henryk Sienkiewicz’s novel “Quo vadis” there is a scene in which the Greek Chilon tells the patrician Petronius exactly this version of the origin of the fish sign as a symbol of Christians.

According to another theory, the sign of fish among the early Christians was a symbolic designation of followers of the new faith. This statement is based on frequent references to fish in the sermons of Jesus Christ, as well as in His personal conversations with his disciples, later the apostles. He metaphorically calls people in need of salvation fish, and the future apostles, many of whom were former fishermen, “fishers of men.” “And Jesus said to Simon: Do not be afraid; from now on you will catch men” (Gospel of Luke 5: 10) The “Fisherman’s Ring” of the Pope, one of the main attributes of the vestment, has the same origin.
Biblical texts also claim that only fish survived the Great Flood, sent by God for the sins of people, not counting those who took refuge in the Ark. At the beginning of the era, history repeated itself, Greco-Roman civilization was experiencing a monstrous crisis of morality, and the new Christian faith was called upon to become the saving and at the same time cleansing waters of a new “spiritual” flood. “The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind” (Gospel of Matthew 13:47).

Also worthy of attention is the theory that fish became a symbol of Christianity due to its main, food function. The new creed primarily spread among the most oppressed part of the population. For these people, simple food like fish was the only salvation from starvation. This is precisely what some researchers see as the reason why fish has become a symbol of salvation from spiritual death, the bread of new life and the promise of life after death. As evidence, supporters of this theory cite numerous images in the Roman catacombs in places of ritual, where fish acted as a Eucharistic symbol.

Most fish have large and Round eyes, but they are constructed completely differently from those of other animals. This raises the question of how well and how fish are able to see.

Instructions

Fish vision is designed in such a way that they can easily see colors and even distinguish shades. However, they see things a little differently, in

from the sushi abodes. At

up fish are able to see everything without distortion, but if

look

to the side, straight or at an angle,

picture

distorted due to the media of water and air.

Maximum visibility for occupants water element does not exceed 10–12 meters in clear water. Often this distance is reduced even further due to the presence of plants, changes in water color, increased turbidity, etc. Fish distinguish objects most clearly at a distance of up to 2 meters. Due to the peculiarity of the structure of the eyes, when swimming to the surface of the water, fish begin to see objects as if through

porthole

Predators living in clear waters- grayling, trout, asp, pike. Some species that feed on bottom organisms and plankton (bream, catfish, eel, pike perch, etc.) have special light-sensitive elements in the retina that can distinguish weak light rays. Due to this, they can see quite well in the dark.

Being near the shore, the fish hear the fisherman very well, but do not see him due to the refraction of the ray of vision. This makes them vulnerable, so a big role

presence of camouflage. Experienced fishermen advise not to wear bright clothes when fishing, but

vice versa

Choose more protective colors as a camouflage that will blend into the general background. Much less likely to be noticed

will be in shallow water than when fishing close to the shore and in deeper places. Thus, while fishing, it is better to sit than stand, and also not

commit

sudden movements. That is why spinners who like to hunt from a boat are better off fishing (catching a predator by throwing bait) while sitting, which is not only safe, but will also help

get

noticeably larger catch.

What does this fish sign mean for Christians?

As is known, in the Roman Empire in the first centuries the Church was subjected to severe persecution. Under these conditions, it was impossible not only to openly profess oneself as a Christian, but also to create images that directly spoke about faith. Therefore, in early Christian fine arts Various symbolic images appeared. They were a kind of secret writing by which co-religionists could identify each other. An example of such secret writing is given by the Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz in his wonderful book “Kamo khryadeshi”. The novel begins with the fact that one noble Roman fell in love with a young beautiful girl who turned out to be a Christian. And so he tells how he found this girl drawing something in the sand:

– What did she draw in the sand? Is it not the name of Cupid, or a heart pierced by an arrow, or something else, from which you could understand that the satyrs were already whispering into this nymph’s ear some secrets of life? How could you not look at these signs!

“I put on my toga earlier than you think,” said Vinicius. - Until little Aulus came running, I carefully examined these signs. I know that in both Greece and Rome girls often draw confessions in the sand that their lips refuse to utter. But guess what she drew?

– If it’s something else, I probably won’t guess.

The girl was a Christian, and it was no coincidence that she drew this drawing. Indeed, fish is one of the most common designs in early Christian painting. And it symbolized not just anyone, but the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And the reason for this is the ancient Greek language. The fact is that in ancient Greek fish ὁ ἰχθύς (ihthys). Christians saw in this word a kind of acrostic (a poem in which the first letters of each line form a meaningful text) telling about Christ. Each letter of the “ancient Greek fish” was for them, respectively, the first letter of others, very important words, expressing the confession of the Christian faith: Ἰησοῦς Χριστός Jεοῦ Uἱός Sωτήρ. From ancient Greek to Russian it is translated as follows: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior. Those. the ancients read the ancient Greek word ἰχθύς (fish) as an abbreviation for this phrase.

In general, the symbolism of fish is often used in the New Testament. For example, the Lord 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 you give him a snake? If you, therefore, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him” (Matthew 7:9-11). According to many interpreters Holy Scripture, the image of the fish here symbolizes Christ as the true Bread of Life, and the snake symbolizes the devil. Therefore, for example, sometimes fish in early Christian painting were painted together with baskets filled with bread and wine. Those. this image had a Eucharistic meaning.

Christ also feeds a multitude of people, taking seven loaves of bread and “a few fish”: “And taking the seven loaves and fishes, he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples to the people. And they all ate and were filled” (Matthew 15:36-37). In another similar miracle, there were five loaves and two fish (see: Matthew 14: 17–21).

In addition, Christ calls the apostles, former fishermen, “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17), and the Kingdom of Heaven as “a net cast into the sea and capturing fish of all kinds” (Matthew 13:47).

It is also interesting that the Fathers of the Church compared the Christians themselves, who followed the Savior into the “water”, to fish. eternal life" Here is what, for example, the early Christian writer Tertullian (2nd-3rd centuries after Christ) wrote: “The sacrament of our water is life-giving, for, having washed away the sins of yesterday’s blindness with it, we are freed for eternal life! We, the fish, following our “fish” Jesus Christ, are born in water, and we preserve life only by remaining in the water” (“On Baptism.” 1.1).

On the screensaver is a fragment of a photo by Randy Williams/www.flickr.com

THE MEANING OF ANCIENT CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS,
DISPLAYED AROUND THE ST. ILINA TEMPLE.

The earliest Christian symbolic images date back to the first persecution of the Church in the Roman Empire.

Floor mosaics from the time of Constantine and Helena in the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Then 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 determined by religious experiences; thus it can be argued that they brought to us the theology of the early Church. Lamb, Cross, vine, basket of bread, cup, dove, Good Shepherd, lily, peacock, fish, phoenix, anchor, pelican, eagle, chrisma, rooster, lion, olive branch, alpha and omega - these are the most common first christian symbols.

A mosaic floor with images of grape leaves and grapes carrying a Eucharistic meaning, complemented by images of Eucharistic cups and next to them pomegranate fruits - one of the variants of the fruits 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 the biblical prophets resorted to and Jesus Christ often addressed in his conversations.

In 2012, during the improvement of the territory of Ilyinskaya Mountain, ancient Christian symbols were depicted with the help of decorative paving on the western and eastern, northern and southern sides of the St. Elias Church: lily, chrisma, fish and anchor. What do they mean?

Depicted in the decorative paving in front of the entrance to the temple, the lily is a symbol of innocence and purity, a symbol of a soul loving God. The Book of Song of Songs says that Solomon's Old Testament temple was decorated with lilies. According to legend, on the day of the Annunciation, Archangel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary with a white lily, which has since become a symbol of Her purity, innocence and devotion to God. In the Middle Ages, saints glorified by the purity of their lives were depicted with the same flower. Among the first Christians, the lily represented martyrs who remained pure and faithful to Christ, despite severe persecution.

So we must enter the temple of the Lord with pure and meek hearts if we want to take part in Divine Liturgy and worthily partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

CHRISMA.

Chrisma or chrismon is a monogram of the word Christ, which means the Anointed One, Messiah, and which consists of the 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 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.

Christianity became widespread in epigraphy, on the reliefs of sarcophagi, in mosaics, including floor ones, 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 name monograms "crisma" (proper “anointing”, “confirmation”) can be translated as "seal".

Monogram of Christ on the floor of the ancient Christian basilica of Chrysopolitissa.

In the environment Slavic peoples Ancient Christian Christianity acquired a new meaning, becoming a symbol of the Incarnation or the Nativity of Christ, according to the first letters - “P” and “X” - its Slavic spelling.

Chrism on the south side of the St. Elias Church in Vyborg

FISH.

The fish is one of the earliest and most common Christian symbols. "Ichthys" (Ancient Greek Ἰχθύς - fish)- ancient acronym (monogram) 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, expresses in brief 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, are born in water (of grace) and only by remaining in it can we be unharmed.”

The symbolic image of a fish also has a Eucharistic meaning. In the oldest part of the Callista catacombs, researchers discovered a clear image of a fish carrying on its back a basket of bread and a vessel of wine. This is a Eucharistic symbol denoting the Savior, Who gives people the food of salvation, new life.

An ancient mosaic depicting a stupa with loaves and fishes, with which the Lord fed the suffering, is located in the Altar next to the sacred stone. On the stone, as some New Testament researchers suggest, the Savior stood when he blessed the fish and bread before feeding the people with them.

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 loaves and fishes (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 symbol of fish from the East
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 by St. Apostle Paul, where we can find the following words: “God, desiring primarily to show the heirs of the promise the immutability of His will, used an oath as a means, so that ... we, who have come running to take hold of the hope set before us, may have firm consolation, which for the soul is like a safe and strong anchor, and enters into the innermost behind the veil, where the forerunner Jesus came in for us, becoming a 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 like ancient Christian symbol of hope from the northern side of the St. Elias Church in Vyborg.

Over time, the One Undivided Church of Christ, by its conciliar mind, by the 82nd rule of the Sixth Ecumenical Council rejected the image of the Lamb as a symbol of the Sacrifice of Christ: “On some honest icons, a lamb is depicted, shown by the finger of the Forerunner, which is accepted as an image of grace, through the law showing us the true lamb, Christ our God. Honoring the ancient images and canopy, devoted to the Church, as signs and the destinies of truth, we prefer grace and truth, accepting it as the fulfillment of the law. For this reason, so that by the art of depiction the perfect thing may be presented to the eyes of all, we command from now on the image of the lamb who takes away the sins of the world, Christ our God, to be represented on icons according to human nature, instead of the old lamb: that 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 completed redemption of the world.”

Also, by the 73rd rule of the same Council, the Church prohibited the depiction of 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, so that due honor will be given to that through which we were saved from the ancient Fall. Therefore, Bringing veneration to him in thought, word, and feeling, we command that the images of the Cross, drawn by some on the ground, be completely blotted out, so that the sign of our victory will not be insulted by the trampling of those walking...”

But, today, when modern media, it would seem, provide inexhaustible opportunities for knowledge of one’s own Faith, from nowhere, unfortunate “zealots” of their own ignorance appeared, who, from the inflammation of the still unresolved passions of their former life, began to blaspheme those depicted on the four sides of the St. Elias Church 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, without even hinting at other ancient Christian symbols. Moreover, this rule speaks specifically about the “Life-Giving Cross”, and not about any other, simple or decorative, cross of lines. Because of the three crosses found by Queen Helena, Equal-to-the-Apostles, only one, the Cross of Christ, was life-giving and worthy of worship. The other two crosses, among which was the cross of the prudent thief, who, according to the word of the Lord, was the first to enter the heavenly abodes, 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 crossroads of lines, we will be forced to refuse to use transport and roads that constantly cross, as well as sidewalks, which inevitably end in pedestrian crossings at intersections. At the same time, to the great joy of those who oppose our faith, we will be forced to jump like fleas, accidentally finding ourselves in the crosshairs of the seams of tile floors in public places.

Therefore, from ancient times, the Church, depicting the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, with two additional crossbars and the inscription on them indicates that this cross is not just a decorative cross of lines or ornaments, but is an image Life-giving Cross Christ, by whom we are saved “from the work of the enemy.”

As for other ancient Christian symbols, we repeat that the Church never prohibited their depiction both on the walls and on the floors of Christian churches, except during the shameful triumph of iconoclasm. Those who, being infected with proud conceit, contrary to the entire tradition of the One Undivided Church, are jealous of their ignorant opinions about the inadmissibility of depicting 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 God, they arbitrarily accepted to adhere to false piety: “Observe the washing of cups, pots, cauldrons and benches” (Mark 7:4).

And such people show themselves to be similar not only to the ancient Pharisees, but also to reveal themselves to be new iconoclasts, who, being infected with secret Manichaeism, forgot that everything was created "very good" (Gen. 1:31); and that we were created from the dust of the earth, which to this day we “trample” under our feet; and that the Lord, in His Holy Incarnation, took upon this our corporeality from the dust of the earth, joining it to His incorruptible Divinity; 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 earth (Rev. 11:4); and that on the day of Holy Epiphany we consecrate with holy agiasma not only the walls of our homes, but also “in all places, both stingy, and everywhere, even under our feet”; and that in the future age, the pre-radiance of which our churches are filled, “God will be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28)- such people want to take away from us not just the splendor, but the wealth of grace-filled and saving 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 episcopal services should be prohibited. Because the bishops of the Church at divine services stand on nothing other than eagles, which depict the ancient Christian symbol of an eagle in the radiance of grace and a city with holy temples, and which, if you believe the fables of the latter-day iconoclasts, are the primates local Churches in “shameful ignorance” of true piety they are “trodden underfoot.” But we know that where there is a bishop, there is the Church, and where there is no bishop, there is no Church. Why should we now leave the Church to please the new iconoclasts? Let this not happen!

The saddest thing is that such are false teachers, “not entering by the door into the sheepfold” (John 10:1), deceive the hearts of the simple-minded and sow division in the 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 pronounce a word before the people, or to teach, and thus take upon himself the dignity of a teacher, but to obey a devotee.” order from the Lord, to open the ear of those who have received the grace of the teacher’s word, and from them to learn from the Divine. For in the one Church God created different members, according to the word of the Apostle, which, when Gregory the Theologian explains, clearly shows the order found in them, saying: this, brethren, let us honor the order, Let us preserve this one; let this one be an ear, and that one a tongue; this one a hand, and let another one be something else; let this one teach, let that one learn. And after a few words, let him further say: let the one who learns be in obedience, the one who distributes, let him distribute with joy, the one who serves let us serve with zeal. Let us not all be tongues, If this is the closest thing, neither all are apostles, nor all are prophets, nor all are interpreters. And after some words he also says: Why do you make yourself a shepherd, being a sheep? Why do you become a head, being a foot ? Why do you attempt to be a military commander, having been placed in the ranks of soldiers? And in another place wisdom commands: do not be quick in words; do not prostrate the poor with the rich; do not seek the wise, be the wisest. If anyone is found to be violating this rule: let him be excommunicated from church communion for forty days.”

Chairman of the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis
Vyborg diocese,
rector of St. Elias Church in Vyborg
Archpriest Igor Viktorovich Aksyonov.

We all know that if the main symbol of Islam is the crescent, then the sign of Christianity is the cross. But at the same time, any religion is filled with dozens of signs. Some are well known to our generation, others are so old that only frescoes or mosaics on ancient cathedrals can remind us of the times when such signs were considered sacred. In this article we will try to put them together, and at the same time talk about the meaning of each.

Early Christian Creeds

Early Christians were often mercilessly executed, so they hid their faith. However, many wanted to somehow identify their brothers, so symbols were created that at first glance did not resemble the Son of God, but in fact somehow related to His life. These early Christian symbols are still found in the shelter caves that served these people as their first temples. However, even on ancient icons, and you can sometimes find them in old churches too.

Or “ichthys” - this is how this word sounds in Greek. He was revered for a reason: the word was an acronym for the popular phrase among Christians “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior” (it sounded like “Jesus Christ Feu Ios Sotir”).

Also, do not forget about the miracles of the Savior, in which fish appeared. For example, about the Sermon on the Mount, for which many people gathered, and when they wanted to eat, He multiplied 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish for everyone (therefore, in some places the fish was depicted along with the bread). Or about the meeting of the Savior with the Apostle Peter, a fisherman - then he said: “As you catch fish now, so will you catch men.”

People wore this sign on themselves (on the neck, like we now have a cross), or depicted it on their houses in the form of a mosaic.

This is a sign of the firmness and reliability of the church (after all, the anchor could hold a huge ship in place), as well as hope for resurrection from the dead.

On the domes of some ancient churches you can see a cross that looks more like an anchor. There is an opinion that this sign means “the cross defeats the crescent,” that is, Islam. Although other historians of religion are sure: this is an anchor.

According to legend, adult birds were not afraid of snake venom. But if a snake crawled into the nest and bit the pelican chicks, they could die - to prevent this from happening, the bird tore its own chest with its beak, giving the chicks its blood as medicine.

That is why the pelican became a symbol of self-sacrifice, bloody communion. This image was more often used during services.

• Eagle soaring over the city

Denotes the height of faith.

Nowadays it has been transformed into a bishop's eagle (an attribute of a solemn divine service).

In the old days, they believed that the phoenix lived for 2-3 centuries, after which it flew to Egypt and died there, burning. From these ashes a new, young bird rose.

Thanks to this legend, the creature became a sign of eternal life.

A sign of the resurrection of all people. This bird sings loudly early in the morning, and all people wake up. The trumpets of the angels will sound just as loudly in the last hour of the earth, and the dead will rise for the final judgment.

A symbol of heavenly life that awaits the righteous on the other side of death.

• Chrism

This is a monogram of two Greek words, “Anointed One” and “Christ.” It is often decorated with two more letters - “alpha” and “omega” (that is, “beginning” and “end”, which means Lord).

Where can you see this Christian sign? At baptisms, sarcophagi of martyrs. And also on military shields and ancient Roman coins (when the persecution of Christians ended and this faith became the state).

Many people know that this is a royal heraldic sign, but first of all it is a symbol of purity and purity (which is why even on modern icons the Virgin Mary is depicted with such a flower in her hands). By the way, it can also be seen on icons of martyrs, martyrs and saints, revered for their especially righteous lives. Although this sign was revered back in Old Testament times (for example, lilies decorated the Temple of Solomon).

When Archangel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary to inform her that she would soon give birth to the Son of God, this flower was in his hand.

Sometimes the lily was depicted among thorns.

• Vine

As we know, Jesus said: “I am the vine, and my father is the vinedresser.” The topic of wine is often mentioned in Christianity, because this is the drink used during communion.

Temples and ritual utensils were decorated with images of grapevines.

In addition to the signs described above, there were others that were used by ancient Christians:

• dove (Holy Spirit),
• a cup of wine and a basket of bread (there is enough food, faith and the Lord’s blessings for everyone),
• olive tree branch,
• spikelet, ears of corn, sheaves (apostles),
• ship,
• Sun,
• house (or one wall made of brick),
• lion (the power and strength of God, the church),
• calf, ox, bull (martyrdom, service to the Savior).

Symbols known to modern believers

• Crown of thorns. Roman soldiers jokingly “crowned” Jesus with it as they led him to execution. This is a sign of suffering voluntarily brought for someone (in this case, for all of humanity).
• Lamb. A sign of the Savior's sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Just as young lambs or doves were laid on the altar as a sacrifice to God at that time, so the Son of God became a sacrifice for the sake of all people.
• Shepherd. This is how they designate Christ, who worries about the souls of people faithful to him, like a good shepherd about his sheep. This image is also very ancient. The first Christians painted an image of the Good Shepherd in their sanctuaries, since there was no “sedition” in it - it was difficult to immediately guess that this was the image of the Son of God. By the way, the image of the Shepherd was first mentioned in the Psalter, in the 22nd Psalm of King David.
• Pigeon. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity (Lord, His Son and the Holy Spirit). People still honor this ancient sign (like the Easter images of the Lamb).
• Nimbus. Means holiness and drawing closer to the Lord.

Orthodox signs

• Eight-pointed cross. Also known as "Orthodox", "Byzantine" or "St. Lazarus Cross". The middle crossbar is where the Son of God was crucified, the top one is the same tablet on which they cynically wrote “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The lower crossbar, according to church historians, was also nailed to the very cross on which Jesus offered his sacrifice.
• Triangle. Some people mistakenly consider it a sign of the Masons. In fact, this is a symbol of the trinity of the Trinity. Important: all sides of such a triangle must be equal!
• Arrows. On icons they are often placed in the hands of the Mother of God (just remember the “Seven Arrows” icon). This sign signifies the prophecy of Simeon the God-Receiver, who declared that Jesus is the Son of God almost immediately after His birth. In the prophecy he said to the Mother of God: “To you the weapon will pass into your soul, and the thoughts of many people will be revealed to you.”
• Scull. Adam's head. At the same time a sign of death and resurrection. One legend says: on Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified, there were the ashes of the first man Adam (that’s why on icons this skull is placed at the base of the cross). When the blood of the Savior was shed on these ashes, it symbolically washed all humanity from sins.
• All-seeing eye. This eye of the Lord is a sign of His wisdom and omniscience. Most often this symbol is included in a triangle.
• Eight-pointed (Bethlehem) star. Symbol of the birth of Jesus. She is also called the Mother of God. By the way, in ancient centuries the number of its rays was different (constantly changing). Let's say in the 5th century there were nine rays, they meant the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
• Burning bush. More often - a burning thorn bush through which the Lord spoke to Moses. Less commonly, it is a sign of the Mother of God into whom the Holy Spirit entered.
• Angel. Means the earthly incarnation of the Son of God.
• . The six-winged angel is one of those closest to the Lord. Wears a fire sword. It can have either one face or many (up to 16). This is a sign of the Lord's love and cleansing heavenly fire.

And besides these symbols, there is also a cross. Or rather, crosses - a great variety of them were created in the Christian (as well as pre-Christian) tradition, and each carries some meaning. This video will help you understand the ten most popular ones, although in reality there are many more:

And of course, we couldn’t help but talk about how different orthodox cross from Catholic. And although it is believed that it does not matter what kind of crucifix you wear, but what is important is faith, it is still not worth it pectoral cross violate the tenets of your religion. Tips for choosing this is not jewelry, but a powerful amulet and a sign of conscious choice life path- Here:

Before we talk about the very first and most common symbol of Christianity - the fish 🐟, let's tell a little about symbols in general.

Our workshop is increasingly faced with a situation where people ask how this or that product with a Christian symbol can help them, what to protect them from, or even what power it has. Fortunately, Christianity is free from the “power of things.” Only our faith in Christ: it is she who can protect us, and protect us, and help us in every matter.

Many more confuse some Christian symbols with zodiac signs - and, for example, want to buy our “Taurus pendant”. But we don't have one. We have lamb, which, indeed, someone may confuse with a Taurus - but this is a completely different story and completely different meanings.

And some people think like this: “The only difference is in cultures, and so, zodiacs, Christian and any other signs are all the same!” Sorry, but we strongly disagree here. The only thing that this topic has in common is that people of all times, peoples and cultures tend to clothe certain ideas in symbols. Of course, when everyone mentions olympic games the famous emblem will appear before your eyes. What about the heroes of children's fairy tales and cartoons? They are all symbolic too! This is because symbols surround us always and everywhere.

And it is not surprising that as soon as Christianity was born, Christian symbols also appeared. And the very first of them was - fish. In Greek ichthys. This word is written as ΙΧΘΥΣ - and this is the ancient monogram of the name Jesus Christ, which is made up of the first letters in words Jesus Christ God's Son Savior.

Even before body crosses, the first Christians wore mother-of-pearl and stone fish to identify each other. The symbol of fish is found very often in the Gospel: Christ multiplies fish to feed the hungry, makes sure that the catch is rich, mentions fish in parables, and finally eats fish with his disciples after His resurrection. Many of Christ's disciples were fishermen. The Lord himself calls his disciples fishers of men, and likens the Kingdom of Heaven to a net thrown into the sea and capturing fish of all kinds.

In the lives of early Christians, depicting and mentioning Christ was dangerous due to persecution. Therefore, people created various symbolic codes. To identify in stranger of his fellow believer, one Christian drew an arc on the ground and waited for the stranger to complete his drawing. And if he drew a second arc, forming the sign of the fish, then these two people could calmly talk to each other about Christ the Savior.

Images of the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ or symbolizing it fish appear in the Roman catacombs in 2nd century. It could be just text, a fish, or all three. Fish carrying wine and bread on its back, symbolized Sacrament of Communion. Also symbolized the Savior dolphin. And the image dolphin with anchor symbolized the crucifixion (where the Church was the anchor). Also fish is a symbol baptism. The bath, the font where the sacrament of baptism is performed, is called in Latin piscina and is translated literally - "fish tank".

Fish is part of the decoration of temples. Often today, car drivers stick the ichthys symbol on their cars. And we make decorations with this ancient symbol. After all, being present in our lives, he reminds us of the most important thing.