Ichthys Cross

also known as Fisherman's Cross

Seen more often in a fashion jewellery setting than a religious setting. Nevertheless, this cross has a profound message.

The fish symbol incorporated into a Cross Pattee on an old mousepad

A plain cross without lettering is one of the most common designs for necklaces, usually worn for decoration only. Adding the Greek ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthys) lettering reminds people of the Christian meaning of the Cross.

Ichthys is a Christogram or Chrismon, a monogram of Christ, and was in use by the 4^th century if not earlier. The Greek spelling (ΙΧΘΥΣ) and how that becomes a Christogram is explained more on our Jesus Fish page.

Other Chrismons include INRI, Alpha and Omega, Chi-Rho, ICXC and IHS; all of which are more commonly seen with the cross than Ichthys.

© cafepress.com

Sean Wright noticed this neat variation of an Everlasting Cross on a magnet sold by CafePress (cafepress.com/+jesus-fish+magnets).

What is "Ichthys"?

Clemens was a Greek theologian and noted that letters of the Greek word for fish, ΙΧΘΥΣ (pronounced Ichthys), made the following neat little acrostic: 

So in addition to the simple and easily recognisable symbol, there is also a motto that describes Jesus as Christ, God's Son, and Saviour.

This use of the fish might also have been partly a protest against the Pagan emperors of the time, who named themselves Theou Yios (God's sons), which appears on Alexandrian coins minted during of the reign of Domitian, 11^th Emperor of the Roman Empire, 81-96 AD.