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Christian Symbols


Severian

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I know that the Cross is more or less the de facto symbol of Christianity, but I also know that in the early church, a fish was used.

I was just thinking: What about a loaf of bread (preferably a baguette) and a jug of wine as a symbol? It just seems so... symbolic in a Eucharistic kind of way.

Anyway, I was wondering what ideas you may have....

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I know that the Cross is more or less the de facto symbol of Christianity, but I also know that in the early church, a fish was used.

I was just thinking: What about a loaf of bread (preferably a baguette) and a jug of wine as a symbol? It just seems so... symbolic in a Eucharistic kind of way.

Anyway, I was wondering what ideas you may have....

A lot of mosaics and frescos had fish with bread and wine on them. It wasn't really a symbol so much as a popular thing to depict.

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I guess you could go with a halo or a sun.

This is true. For a while a halo/sun was depicted behind the head of Christ with seven rays coming out from behind it. That symbol was borrowed from pagans.

Lambs weren't ever really looked at as symbols of anything, though, as far as I know.

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This is true. For a while a halo/sun was depicted behind the head of Christ with seven rays coming out from behind it. That symbol was borrowed from pagans.

Lambs weren't ever really looked at as symbols of anything, though, as far as I know.

Interesting that there were 7 rays. I wonder why not 12? That seems to be a significant number in Christianity.

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* Shepard's Crook.

* Chi-Rho

* Anchor Symbol

* Good Shepherd

* Fish Symbol (Ichthus)

* Peacock

* Dove

* Orante

* Cross

* Ship

* Palm Branches

* Vine and Branches, Grape Clusters

* IHS

* Miscellaneous Early Christian Art

* Early Christian Symbols in the Catacomb

The early Church also used a lot of Jewish symbols, and that's just the Old World. It is unknown what any early Churcn New World symbols would look like.

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* Shepard's Crook.

* Chi-Rho

* Anchor Symbol

* Good Shepherd

* Fish Symbol (Ichthus)

* Peacock

* Dove

* Orante

* Cross

* Ship

* Palm Branches

* Vine and Branches, Grape Clusters

* IHS

* Miscellaneous Early Christian Art

* Early Christian Symbols in the Catacomb

The early Church also used a lot of Jewish symbols, and that's just the Old World. It is unknown what any early Churcn New World symbols would look like.

I really like the dove symbol. The peacock is interesting (wonder how it ties in?), but it might be trademarked by NBC TV. What is an Orante?
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The anchor was also used as well as the Egyptian ankh. I have read elsewhere that the cross was a far older pagan symbol used variously by believers in Thor where it represented the hammer and others have used as a solar symbol which is reminiscent of Mithraism.

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I've never seen that mosaic. Interesting. Nonetheless, their use as an actual symbol is quite rare.

Material depictions of symbols in GENERAL were quite rare. BTW... the symbolic identification of Jesus as the Lamb of God and Good Shepherd has scriptural basis. The earliest identified representation of Jesus comes from a Fresco in the Catacomb of Domitilla, Rome, dating to the mid-second cent, where he is identified as the good shepherd, carrying a lamb on his shoulders. "One of the most popular early Christian motifs was that of Jesus as a shepherd tending his flock..." J.R. Porter, Jesus Christ: The Jesus of History, the Christ of Faith, p. 198.

EarlyCChristGoodShepCat.jpg

It was borrowed from Mithraic symbolism.

Nearly every symbol one could mention can be traced back to paganism: whether pentagrams, compasses, squares, spires, all-seeing eyes, beehives, crosses, doves, fish... whatever. In your attempt to trace a linear migration of the symbol, you would have to pass through scripture... as (again) the New Testament identifies Jesus as both the Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God.

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I find this topic fascinating. I have always loved symbolism. I eagerly strive to get my hands on all the books I can find.

Some symbolism I have noticed around;

Graduations robes (I think of Brother Nibley's pray at every graduation)

Graduation tassels what they do with it when they graduate, it goes from left to right

Boy Scouts has a lot such as crossing bridges to symbolize obtaining a higher level.

What I have mentioned is easy symbolism but there are thousands, some quite complex even more hidden symbolism in dancing (the rain dance, the hoki poki etc).

food for thought....

Anijen

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What I have mentioned is easy symbolism but there are thousands, some quite complex even more hidden symbolism in dancing (the rain dance, the hoki poki etc).

Anijen

Priesthood holders need to be careful doing the Hokey Pokey lest they bring the dusting one's loafers curse down on some city or hamlet. Talk about complex symbolism!
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I know that the Cross is more or less the de facto symbol of Christianity, but I also know that in the early church, a fish was used.

I was just thinking: What about a loaf of bread (preferably a baguette) and a jug of wine as a symbol? It just seems so... symbolic in a Eucharistic kind of way.

Anyway, I was wondering what ideas you may have....

To me it always seemed kinda funny that the cross is being used? Does not the cross

represent Christs death. Whatever happened to his ressurection, Shoulndt his ressurection

be the symbol?

:P

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