Crosses with Lettering
Graffiti on grave stones is a common form of vandalism. Here we look at some legitimate writing on crosses.
If a Christian cross has an inscription, it is most often "INRI", since this represents the wording on Christ's cross. Other lettering includes PAX and ΦΩΣ ΖΩΗ (Phos Zoe), and monograms (Christograms or Chrismons) such as ΑΩ (Alpha & Omega), XP (Chi Rho), ICXC, IHS and ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthys). The characters are usually Latin or Greek.
Links to some of these crosses are shown on this page, plus a few other crosses which happen to include significant lettering.
CRCN
CCCB
These are popular with various Christian organisations, such as the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), whose logo is a Latin Cross with a circular arrangement of letters to form a Celtic Cross, and also the Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria (CRCN) with a red cross covering a map of the entire country. See Church Logos for more.
Mouse over a cross for its name
Click on a cross for its details
Mouse over a cross for its name
Click on a cross for its details
Some of the more common lettering includes:
| Acronym | Latin (or Greek) | English |
|---|---|---|
| AD | Anno Domini | Year of Our Lord • Used to indicate a year after Christ's birth. The current year is AD
(not
AD). Before the year of Christ's birth is BC. The increasingly common secular version is CE (Common Era) and BCE (Before Common Era) but of course these tend not to appear in a religious context. |
| AM | Ave Maria | Hail Mary • A salutation asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary. |
| AMDG | Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam | For the greater glory of God • Said to have been coined by St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). |
| ΑΩ | Alpha & Omega | Jesus Christ eternal |
| BC | Before Christ • See also AD (above). Where AD comes before the year, BC comes after. For example Abraham lived around 1700 BC (depending on which school you went to), which is about 3,700 years ago. The calendar system that gave rise to the use of AD and BC began in the 6th or 7th century. | |
| BM | Bonae Memoriae | Of Happy Memory |
| BVM | Blessed Virgin Mary | |
| C AOMPS D | Christus Ab Omni Malo Plebem Suam Defendat | Christ defends His people against every evil |
| C et CaT | Contemplare et Contemplata aliis Tradere | To Contemplate and hand on to others the fruit of our contemplation • A motto of the Dominican Order |
| CSSML | Crux sacra sit mihi lux | Holy Cross be my light • Often on the St. Benedict Medal |
| CV CR CI | Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat | Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ commands |
| DMeO | Deus Meus et Omnia | My God and My All • A motto of the Franciscan Order |
| DN | Dominus Noster | Our Lord |
| DNJC | Dominus Noster Jesus Christus | Our Lord Jesus Christ |
| EAD | Ecce Agnus Dei | Behold the Lamb of God • From "Ecce Agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi" (Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world). See John 1:29 |
| EENS | Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus | Outside the Church there is no salvation • Not usually seen outside Catholicism |
| Fel Mem | Felicis Memoriae | Of Happy Memory • Inscribed on grave crosses |
| ΙΧΘΥΣ | Ichthys | Fish • Acrostic: "Jesus as Christ, God's Son, and Saviour" |
| IC XC | Iota Sigma, Chi Sigma | Jesus Christ • IC represents the Greek characters Iota (Ι) and Sigma (Σ) - the first and last letters of Jesus (ΙΗΣΟΥΣ). (UC is sometimes seen in place of, or in addition to, IC. See below.) The letters XC represent Chi (Χ) and Sigma (Σ) - the first and last letters of Christ (ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ). |
| IHS | ΙΗΣ | The first three letters of 'Jesus' in Greek • Sometimes written as IHC or JHS |
| INRI | Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudeorum | Jesus the Nazorean, King of the Jews • The titulus placed at the top of Jesus' Cross |
| IX | Iota-Chi | Christ • Iota is the first letter of 'Jesus' in Greek and Chi is the first letter 'Christ' in Greek. A simpler explanation is sometimes given: In Christo (In Christ). |
| JHS | ΙΗΣ | The first three letters of 'Jesus' in Greek • More commonly written as IHS |
| LBP | Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare | To praise, to bless and to preach • From the Dominican Missal, Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and motto of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) |
| MR QU | Meter Theou | Mother of God • Greek acronym |
| ND | Notre Dame | Our Lady • French |
| NIKA | Victor • Greek, often seen with IC XC to form 'Jesus Christ, Victor' | |
| Ω | Omega | "the great O" • Eternity |
| OL | Ora et Labora | Prayer and Work • A motto of the Benedictine Order and of the Trappists. Also an acronym for 'Our Lady' |
| PAX | Pax | Peace • A motto of the Benedictine Order |
| ΦΩΣ ΖΩΗ | Phos Zoe | Light and life of Christ |
| RIP | Requiescat In Pace | May he / she rest in peace • Inscribed on grave crosses. On war memorials RIP may be considered in the plural is Requiescant in pace. |
| SD | Servus Dei | Servant of God |
| SMR | Sancta Maria Regina | Holy Mary, Queen (of Heaven) • See example on Keys Cross. |
| TF et OP | Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum | To defend the faith and to serve the poor • A motto of the Knights of Malta |
| UC XC | Jesus Christ • See IC XC above | |
| UIOGD | Ut In Omnibus Glorificetur Deus | That God may be glorified in all things • A motto of the Benedictine Order |
| Veritas | Truth • (Named after the mythical Roman goddess of truth, a daughter of Saturn and the mother of Virtue). Veritas is a motto of the Dominican Order | |
| VGFA | Votum Fecit Gratiam Accepit | Vow made, graces received • Seen on crosses above votive offering plates |
| ω | omega | "the small o" • Eternity |
| XP | Chi Rho | Chrismon • Constantine's sign from God |
