Why do we see swastika in many early Christian churches? Swastika is considered pagan symbol bearing (prosperity and good luck). There are many pagan mosaics and other in Europe that have swastika, from the Romans, Greeks, Thracians etc. How was the pagan symbol adopted, and what does it mean in Christianity? Does any of the church fathers talk about that it is allowable to take pagan traditions / symbols and convert them to Christian with new meaning? I have heard that Basil the great has said something, but I don't know where to look to find what he have said. There are many more churches with swastikas and other pagan symbols that where probably borrowed from the pagans. [Swastika (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika) What does the catholic, orthodox and protestants say about this? Does anyone state that the apostles used these symbols, and learned the people to use them by oral tradition? And what is the reason, will we not look very similar to the pagans if we use their symbols. If the pagans served demons using these signs, where these signs not inspired by the demons that learned the people to serve them by using these signs? How should this be understood? Thanks in advance. There seems to be a church or prayer hall dated 241AD where we can see swastika in it - Church at Megiddo The Ancient Church at Megiddo The house was built around 231 ce and its adaptation for use as a church can be securely dated to 240/241 ce. The Megiddo church would be contemporaneous with this building. Indeed, its construction, on the chronology suggested by Tepper, would predate the Christianizing renovation at Dura Europos by about a decade. The earliest Christian inscriptions that can be dated with some level of confidence stem from the third century ce and later.36 The floor inscriptions at Megiddo would thus rank among the oldest epigraphic data for Christianity.37 The Akeptous inscription would probably offer the earliest epigraphic occurrence of nomina sacra,38 and one of the earliest inscriptional references to Jesus Christ.39 And the mosaic floor itself would be a very rare instance of a pre-Constantinian Christian mosaic.40 If dated towards the end of the third century ce and especially after 313 ce, its significance would diminish, but it would still constitute valuable material evidence for ancient Christianity. [The Ancient Church at Megiddo: The Discovery and an Assessment of its Significance](https://2024.sci-hub.st/3600/018178562bf6388f4cfcc2ae31062ecb/adams2008.pdf) [he Mosaics in the Early Christian Basilica](https://www.academia.edu/figures/13123117/figure-10-mosaic-in-the-nave-detail-photo-by-author-misko) **5th c. AD** [Basilica of Bezistan](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Basilica+of+Bezistan/@41.1115081,20.0820876,-7a,46.5y/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sCIHM0ogKEICAgICM4v6MogE!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2Fgps-cs-s%2FAC9h4nrNLmhkUvh19_R8pwBsGqVrvQAccAZkSIkUEcjuWQCHgxoki9La06ozGPuCEr9abeoLqcZKSQGP8PqO3lagdCqqwORVLMTcv75bK8DJn1JfMnjzhYKIPFIthuCkhBBe5TOeNh18qA%3Dw203-h151-k-no!7i4032!8i3016!4m11!1m2!2m1!1sPaleochristian+Basilica+!3m7!1s0x13504252132b80ff:0xf42f7dbed22221b2!8m2!3d41.1123356!4d20.0816528!10e5!15sChdQYWxlb2NocmlzdGlhbiBCYXNpbGljYVoZIhdwYWxlb2NocmlzdGlhbiBiYXNpbGljYZIBE2hpc3RvcmljYWxfbGFuZG1hcmuaASRDaGREU1VoTk1HOW5TMFZKUTBGblNVUjZlbEI2YUd0blJSQUKqAVwQASobIhdwYWxlb2NocmlzdGlhbiBiYXNpbGljYSgAMh4QASIa-Ru4kMrII6__LK6712EEuiYlpxWUOYQE-W8yGxACIhdwYWxlb2NocmlzdGlhbiBiYXNpbGljYeABAPoBBAgSEBk!16s%2Fg%2F11glw_f49c?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkxNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) Early Christian Basilica church at Delphi The foundations and the mosaics of the narthex and the aisles of a late 5th – early 6th c. AD Christian Basilica were found in the place now occupied by “Apollo Hotel”. https://thedelphiguide.com/early-christian-basilica-church-at-delphi/ https://www.discoveringkos.com/destination-item/early-christian-basilica-of-palaiopanayia/ https://archaeologyinbulgaria.wordpress.com/2015/04/02/archaeologists-discover-hand-from-huge-roman-statue-at-early-christian-site-in-bulgarias-sandanski/#:~:text=The%20Bishop%27s%20Basilica%20is%20the,Operational%20Program%20%E2%80%9CRegional%20Development%E2%80%9D Jerash Church of Marianos - built in 570 AD under the episcopate of Bishop Marianos ========================================================= In pagan cultures: Some statements by some sites. The information needs to be checked. The association of the swastika with deities is certainly seen during the Geometric and Orientalising periods. In the Geometric period, we certainly have evidence for the existence of the Olympian Pantheon, ranging from shrines to Zeus, Apollo, Demeter, Hera and Artemis (Coldstream 2003: 327-332). However in the Geometric period we find that the swastika can be found, especially, with images of Artemis.....but it also gives us proof in the it being used in association with deities,.....Now Artemis is not the only goddess we see associated with the swastika, in this example we see it associated with, what one might presume, to be Demeter....We have seen it being used in association with deities, animals, mythology and people https://learning-history.com/greek-goddess-artemis/ https://www.greecehighdefinition.com/blog/2019/1/22/ancient-greek-origins-of-the-swastika-in-archaic-greece This person in the video also says that the swastika is associated with the sun and idols calling them "the gods", luck, victory etc. It does not seem to be just decoration without meaning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnsEBTL5mZc How accurate is all this I can not verify. ..................................................... Floor Mosaic Depicting Dionysos's Discovery of Ariadne on Naxos Roman, probably from Syria Roman 3rd to 4th centuries Stone tesserae in mortar https://www.miho.jp/booth/html/artcon/00001755e.htm https://pbase.com/dosseman/dionysostriumf (2nd c. AD) Dionysos, Nike & Maenad (Bakche) - Zeugma mosaic - Triumph of Dionysus (Gaziantep Museum - Turkey) This pavement comes from the House of Poseidon. 1.https://www.flickr.com/photos/28433765@N07/50616496196 2.https://pbase.com/dosseman/dionysostriumf 3.https://pbase.com/dosseman/image/170042225 4.https://pbase.com/dosseman/daedalus https://assaffeller.com/%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%92%D7%99%D7%94/%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%99-%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A1-%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%96%D7%99%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%91%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%93%D7%95 Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite, mosaic from Utica, Tunisia, Roman civilization, 3rd-4th century AD, Detail https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en/noartistknown/triumph-of-neptune-and-amphitrite-mosaic-from-utica-tunisia-roman-civilization-3rd-4th-century-ad/nomedium/asset/2569228 https://assaffeller.com/%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%92%D7%99%D7%94/%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%99-%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A1-%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%96%D7%99%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%91%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%93%D7%95 Swastika and halo in the pagan culture - also found in the Christian iconography in later time some sources say - 4 th c. AD - catacombs of Commodilla is one of the first images of Christ with a halo around his head. This is just to show that there seems to be adoption of pagan elements in later Christianity. ------------------------------------------------------------- ENGLISH T**he ancient Christian Church adopted the Greek "gamma cross," giving it the meaning of salvation.** The swastika is found in paintings of early Christian catacombs, on medieval tombstones, and on priestly vestments of the 12th-14th centuries. The swastika is present in the mosaic covering the floor of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. It is depicted among fragments of the oldest mosaic floor, preserved from the original basilica from the time of Emperor Constantine the Great and his mother Helena (the church was founded in the 320s by order of Emperor Constantine). Inside the swastika is a square, in the center of which is an inscription: Greek ΪΧΘΥΣ - "fish", this word was used in early Christian symbolism as an abbreviation: "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior." https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0#%D0%A5%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE Basilica of the Nativity, Bethlehem, Palestine, 4th century. The 4th-century floor mosaics. https://ru.pinterest.com/pin/223843043964727318/ https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0#%D0%A5%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE https://vp-sssr.ru/download/works/35/k-voprosu-o-zaprete-ekstremistskoi-simvoliki.pdf Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. Altar mosaic https://tehlib.com/arhitektura/sofijskij-sobor-v-kieve/ Crux Gammata. Mosaic of the Saint Sophia Cathedral of Kiev, 11th century AD. https://irenecaesar.wordpress.com/tag/%D1%81%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0-%D0%B2-%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B8/ Lalibela, Ethiopia, with a Cross, which consists of the multiplied Gammadion / Gammadia. [The Crux Gammata is the Tetragrammaton](https://irenecaesar.wordpress.com/tag/%D1%81%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0-%D0%B2-%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B8/) The links are shared only because of the images as sources. I don't guarantee the accurateness of the information. This is just what I see on the interned and it seems that swastika is even used on processional crosses. There can be also seen a Latin cross in the form of swastika the sources say 11 c. AD. It seems that there is some meaning in the swastika it is not just an ornament from this what I see if the information is correct. Also ΪΧΘΥΣ in the center of the swastika.

In John 19:34, it says: >“But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.” This moment has been interpreted in various ways throughout Christian history and theology. In some devotional contexts, particularly in Catholic and Orthodox traditions, the outpouring of blood and water from Christ’s side is seen as a profound symbol of Divine Mercy - often connected with the sacraments (e.g., Eucharist and Baptism) and the birth of the Church. My question is: **Is the blood and water that flowed from Jesus’ side traditionally understood as an expression of God’s mercy? If so, how is this understanding supported theologically or doctrinally within Christian traditions (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant perspectives)?**

In Revelation 17:5, the apostle John describes a mysterious figure: >"Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth." (Revelation 17:5) Many modern interpreters and some Christian teachers associate America with this symbolic "Babylon," citing its global cultural influence, economic dominance, and especially its perceived moral decline (e.g., promotion of sexual immorality, media-driven hedonism, and exporting of ungodly values worldwide). My question is: Do any Christian traditions or interpretations seriously support the view that America is Babylon the Great specifically because of its moral decay? Or is this interpretation more rooted in speculative prophecy teachings rather than established theological frameworks? I’m interested in thoughtful perspectives from within Christian theology, especially those that either support or critique this view using Scripture.

Revelation 4:4 describes 24 elders seated around God’s throne, clothed in white and wearing crowns. Many commentators suggest that the number 24 may symbolize the **12 tribes of Israel** (Old Testament) and the **12 apostles** (New Testament), together representing the full redeemed people of God across both covenants. Do Christian scholars or traditions interpret the 24 elders in Revelation as symbolizing the unity of God's people — that is, 12 representing Israel and 12 representing the Church? Are there denominational views (e.g., Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox) that formally teach or reject this interpretation?

Many Catholic churches across the world have an image of a pelican with its chicks. The pelican is depicted as cutting its heart open with the beak, with blood dripping down. Understandably, it symbolises Christ. What was the source of this image? Was there any scriptural base, or was it a code, like the image of fish used by early Christians?

Sacred geometry is a part of the world's religions. It is found in ancient Africa, the ancient Middle East, ancient China and Asia and tribes in America. Methods of determining the spread of humans around the earth from artifacts fossils and cave painting it is possible to gain a temporal map of early humans and the cultures of these early humans. There is a common cultural trait amongst humans that have spread around the world in that of religion and the belief in God. These faiths involve a sacred geometry that is used to explain the beliefs of their cultures and can be found by archaeology in their architecture and objects of these cultures. During the phases of the ages such as the Bronze and Iron age, we find the use and knowledge of crystal geometry in forming metal tools in forges and the common geometric patterns in jewelry & symbols of these cultures. Science uses mathematics as an expression of scientific thought and geometry is used as an explanation of life on earth from fractal patterns in nature and Fibonacci to the golden Ratio and the movement and formation of the elements of the universe. If we all share this same interest in mathematics as an explanation of the world then why is there so much disagreement around the world in our religions and their deniers? This might sound like a naive question. However I wondered how Christianity could shed some light on this as they believe in the Trinity, a triangle of the form of God?

On the note of soon to pass Good Friday, Good Friday is the time of the year where we remember the death of Jesus, and Easter is where we remember the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Correct me if I am wrong. However, people seem to associate Easter with egg hunting and bunnies and chocolates. I wouldn't mind a little celebration considering that it is the day Jesus rose from the dead, however I would like to know what in the world eggs and bunnies have to do with it.

I have a leather jacket that just picked up from a girl who was selling it and I didn’t notice that it had a Chimera on its back. Truthfully, the image disturbs me a bit. I don’t want to curse my household neither my family by keeping it. It has a lion head with a goat’s body and a serpent head at the end of its tail. I know the image of the serpent represents Satan & goats could represent unbelievers & maybe the lion could represent the enemy roaring like a lion. Please help me understand this further. Are there any Christian traditions on this Chimerical imagery to indicate if it represents something particularly un Christian, or if it is linked to the occult?

In Revelation 13:1-3, the Beast is described as having seven heads, with one of them appearing to have a "deadly wound" that is later healed: **Revelation 13:1-3 (KJV)**: > *"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast."* Later, in Revelation 17:9-10, the heads are identified as both mountains and kings: **Revelation 17:9-10 (KJV)**: > *"And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space."* ### Question How do different Christian perspectives—historicist, futurist, and allegorical—interpret the meaning of these **seven heads**? - **What do the seven heads represent** (e.g., empires, kings, spiritual concepts)? - **What might the "deadly wound" and its healing symbolize** in each view? Finally, is there reason to believe this passage suggests there will be **seven iterations of Beast-like figures**, with the final one ("the other is not yet come") being *the* ultimate Beast? If this idea applies primarily to one group of interpretations (such as the futurist view), please explain. Looking for an overview of perspectives on the matter. Thank you in advance. God bless.

In Catholic art and imagery how is hell symbolized? If a symbol does exist for it, why was this particular symbol chosen? In other words, does hell have a symbol?

This isn't so much a question about theology or denominational teachings as Church history. In an answer to a question on another StackExchange site, someone posted this: > I am an Art Historian, and I have recently made a research on the > Unicorn symbology in the Middle Ages Art. The unicorn is an > christological symbol. In the book physiologus (popular book in the > middle ages about magical creatures and so on) the unicorn is > described as hard to capture. Only a virgin could do this. This > unicorn myth has been used as a symbol (incarnation) of Christ, who > has been born by the virgin Mary. That got my interest, so I searched, and there is some apparent truth to this, and some undocumented statements claim that some monks agreed with this. For example, from: [Christological Figure](http://glossary.expert/Glossary/Entertainment/Literature/Christological_Figure.html) > ...the unicorn in medieval bestiaries, which would lie down and place > its phallic, ivory-horned meekly in a maiden's lap so that hunters > might kill it--which medieval monks interpreted as an allegory of > Christ allowing himself to enter the womb of the virgin Mary so that > he might later be sacrificed. So I'm curious to see if there is documented writings from the Church (I assume this refers to the Catholic Church, or possibly Orthodox or the Church of England, based on the time period) discussing this. Is there history to back up these claims?

**Revelation 7** describes a woman (symbolizing a church): > **3** … and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. > **4** And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: > **5** And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. > **6** And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. [Whore of Babylon - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whore_of_Babylon#Reformation_view#:~:text=Historicist%20interpreters,this%20association.) says of this scripture: > ### Reformation view > Historicist interpreters commonly used the phrase "Whore of Babylon" to refer to the Catholic Church. > Reformation writers Martin Luther (1483–1546, author of On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church), John Calvin (1509–1564), and John Knox (1510–1572, author of The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstruous Regiment of Women) taught this association. > > Most early Protestant Reformers believed, and the modern Seventh-day Adventist Church teaches, that in Bible prophecy a woman represents a church. > The connection noted on the seven hills of Rome is argued to locate the church. This "whore" church is described as being a "mother of harlots". --- Catholics refer to their Church as the "Holy Mother Church". Protestants saw this "whore" as representing the Roman Church, but failed to recognize the corresponding relationship between the church's "harlot daughters" and their own churches. Did they have a rational explanation of why these daughters don't represent their own Protestant denominations?

John 1 describes in some detail Jesus calling his first five disciples - Andrew, Simon, Philip, Nathanael and presumably John. John 2 1-2 says that Jesus' mother was at the wedding and Jesus was there with his disciples. So there were six followers of Jesus at the wedding (his mother and five disciples), and six jars filled with the new wine. The passage here forms a beautiful contrast with Jeremiah 13; 12-14 where people are also referred to as jars of wine. In the Jeremiah passage the people described were the prophets, priests and the kings who sat on David's throne, as well as all the people of Jerusalem. They were all sentenced to destruction. At the wedding at Cana one man, who was a prophet, priest and the king who would sit on David's throne, filled jars with a wine of blessing instead of destruction. It was as if the old wine of God's judgement a ran out at the wedding, and was replaced with the new wine of His blessing. I wonder if this, the first sign that Jesus did, set the pattern for the rest of Jesus' ministry - he filled the 12, then the 70, then the 3,000 at Pentecost. And these people, like the jars of new wine filled to the brim at the wedding, (John 2:7) went on to share the new wine they carried with others, spreading the gospel of the Kingdom far and wide. Incidentally the amount of wine Jesus created (approximately 150 gallons) was enough to give 3,000 people a good measure. Could it be that Jesus was looking all the way to Pentecost when he created the wine? This all makes sense to me, but I've not seen this referenced anywhere else, so I would be curious to know if other people have found anything in church history like this?

The Society of the Faith charity (*Wikipedia* entry ) uses the following symbol. What is it?

I am looking for the name of the cathedral that contains the following mural. What I know for sure is: - That it has been done between 2004 and 2008, more likely in 2008. - It was made in a Catholic cathedral of a Spanish speaking country. - The original file name is "2B CS.jpg" What I think I know is: - It was a city in Latin America. - The city is on or near the seashore.

I found this symbol on the stained glass of a Catholic church: What does it mean or represent? There's nothing else around this symbol, just what's in the image. To me, it looks like either a ring with seven spikes on both sides or some sort of crown, but I couldn't find anything about this symbol online. I feel like I have seen/read this symbol before, but I can't pinpoint it. Initially, I thought it might have been Jesus' crown of thorns, but it looks like this ring/crown is made of gold, not thorns.

Can you tell me what the letters **JHS** mean? You can see them on the picture below. I am from Slovakia (East Europe) and we speak Slovak and these letters are from Catholic church. I saw these letters on many pantings in Slovak churches. But I do not know their meaning. Thanks for explanation.

Is anyone aware of any special symbolic significance of Jesus eating *specifically* fish and honeycomb while showing his disciples he was not "a spirit" when he appeared to them (and somewhat scared them) after his resurrection in [Luke 24:42-43](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A42-43&version=KJV) ?

I was driving past [the Monastery of the Cross in Jerusalem](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monastery_of_the_Cross) today and — well, I was driving, so I couldn't look too closely, but there appeared to be both [a Greek](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Greece) and [an English](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_England) flag flying from it. A Greek flag I understand (it's a Greek Orthodox monastery), but I was befuddled by the English flag. I tried a Web search later, and couldn't find any information. (I did find [a picture of what appears to be _another_ Greek Orthodox site in Israel](https://previews.123rf.com/images/felker/felker1610/felker161000118/66315960-the-bell-tower-with-a-cross-and-flags-on-mary-s-tomb-orthodox-christian-church-in-jerusalem-israel.jpg) which is _also_ flying Greek and English flags. But I'm not sure what site this is — searching for the image gets me conflicting answers — nor that it's Greek Orthodox.) Why does the Monastery of the Cross (and possibly other Greek Orthodox sites) fly the English flag? Stock photo of *Monastery of the Cross*:

I have seen in a church a cross with a loop off the top that makes the vertical look like a P: # ⳨ Does this symbol have a name? What is its meaning? From what does it derive? Can you supply any more interesting information about it?