Christians have long gotten Christian tattoos to show their pride in their religion. In fact, the first known Christian tattoos cropped in way back in the 16th century, some of which are the exact same designs that people get today.
If you are interested in getting a Christian tattoo, this page was made for you! Below we will take a look at the history of Christian tattoos, Christian tattoo designs, and the Christian tattoo meanings that people like to use.
Christianity is a religion based on the stories and teachings of the Holy Trinity of God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There are some Christian tattoo designs that incorporate one, two, or all three of these symbols. What’s interesting (and convenient) about Christian tattoos is that no matter which design you choose to get, you can be sure that people will know that they represent all that is Christianity.
One of the most popular Christian tattoo meanings out there is love. Many people who get their Christian tattoos simply want to show that through their religion they have found real love in their lives. Some people get their Christian tattoos both to represent the love that they feel and the love that they want to share with others.
Another extremely popular Christian tattoo meaning is peace. The cross and other popular Christian symbols are seen as symbols of peace by many. People who use the peace Christian tattoo meaning go out of their way to avoid conflict since they believe that peaceful resolution of all problems is always the best route to take. Many who get their Christian tattoos to represent peace will get the actual word “Peace” tattooed on their skin along with other Christian tattoo symbols.
Those who want to follow the words of Jesus to a T will often get their Christian tattoos to represent kindness towards all of humanity. Sure, there are plenty of other tattoos that you can get to symbolize kindness, but a Christian tattoo might just be the perfect one for you if you were looking to get a Christian design anyways. If you take pride in being a kind person and you happen to be a Christian, then just about any Christian tattoo design could work for you.
The most common Christian symbol found around the world is the crucifix. In fact, the cross might just be in the top 10 most popular tattoo designs in the world. Part of it is obviously because there are a lot of Christians around the globe, but it’s also because the cross can be an extremely meaningful tattoo regardless of its size. Some people will even get two small crossing lines to show that they are proud of their religion.
The crucifix is a representation of the cross on which Jesus Christ was tortured, suffered and died. It serves as a reminder of his death and the pain he endured in order to cleanse humanity of their sins and wrongdoings. Some people who get the cross tattoo will just get the cross alone, while others will get a more detailed Christian tattoo design that has Jesus on the cross. The full image usually makes for a fantastic back tattoo, though it really can go on any large area of the body.
The cross is often accompanied by the inscription INRI, a Latin acronym that reads “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”. If you decide to get this acronym along with the cross, you’ll want to think long and hard about which font you’ll want to use. You can get a font that matches another tattoo on your body, or you can go with a more traditional font that matches those found in the bible and other Christian texts.
Additionally, the crown of thorns that was worn by Christ can be pictured with the cross as well, emphasizing his immense suffering. You have plenty of design options to think about here, too. For example, you can get a very large piece that has all of these images in a single Christian tattoo, or you might decide to do a close-up of Jesus and the crown with just part of the cross in the image. Again, you’ll want to think about the part of your body where this tattoo will be located before you commit to a design.
Another very popular ichthys symbol is the ichthys. The ichthys is the symbol of the fish, consisting of two arcs that intersect to create the shape. Although it has a long pre-Christian history, the symbol has been adopted by the religion. Even the name ichthys itself serves as a Greek acronym, much like the INRI inscription. Ichthys in English becomes “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior”.
Besides the two most common images, the Chi Rho is another symbol of Christian iconography. Using the Greek letters chi (X) and rho (P) combined, with the “P” placed above the “X”, creates a monogram for the name Christ. It was widely used in the very beginning of Christianity and scribed on different temples and ruins. Much like this symbol is the “IX” monogram, which uses the Greek letters Iota (I) and Chi as a representation of the name Jesus Christ.
More ornate images, like portraits or portrayals of any of the saints, are also significant to Christianity. What’s important with these Christian tattoos is to know what each saint represented and what made them stand out from the bunch. At this point, there are over 800 saints for you to choose from, so while it can be a bit of a task to find one that you feel the closest to, the work you put in to find the perfect saint tattoo will make it that much more meaningful.
Saints are often pictured with halos or crowns of light radiating from their heads. This effect actually looks great on the skin when done correctly. It makes it clear to outsiders that the portrait on your skin is that of a holy person and that you are proud of your Christian faith.
The Virgin Mary, Mother of God, is also another popular Christian symbol. She can be depicted in several ways, either alone, emphasizing her purity or as the Madonna and child, focusing on her maternal significance. The Virgin Mary tattoos are extremely popular for both men and women who want to show that they take pride in living pure lives and focusing their attention on helping others.
The dove and olive branch tattoo is yet another very popular Christian tattoo. This combo represents the Holy Spirit, but most people know it as symbolizing a person’s baptism. The dove and olive branch is a great tattoo for any Christian, but it seems to be most popular with people who were baptized later on in life, such as born-again Christians. People who see their baptisms as the turning point in their lives might find this to be the perfect Christian tattoo for them.
The lamb is a great Christian tattoo to get if you want it to represent innocence and gentleness. Lambs were often sacrificed to feed Christians, and the “Lamb of God” was a title given to Jesus by John the Baptist when he was crucified. If you do get the lamb Christian tattoo, it might be a good idea to get other Christian symbols with it so the meaning is clearer to outside observers. Of course, you might get the lamb tattoo as a very personal or private design, in which case other symbols wouldn’t be necessary.
The shepherd is another Christian image of peace and innocence. It represents the docile and loving aspects of God, referencing the gentle nature of Jesus Christ. The popular The Good Shepherd design shows Jesus protecting his “sheep.”
As you can see, there are plenty of great options to choose from if you are looking to get a Christian tattoo. Just about all of them have positive meanings, and they are all meaningful regardless of their size. No matter what type of Christian tattoo you decide to get, we highly recommend finding an artist who has experience drawing Christian tattoos so you end up with a design that you can wear proudly for the rest of your life.