In the Christian religion, you’ve got God and Jesus. Outside of that, there isn’t a more important symbol to those that believe than the Virgin Mary.
The Virgin Mary is a symbol that has been kept around the house, worn around the neck or tattooed for years. Her story is one of legend and her image symbolizes a great deal. For those that enjoy religious tattoos, the Virgin Mary tattoo is one that seems to be towards the top of the list.
The Virgin Mary is best known for being the mother of Jesus Christ. She is also known as Our Lady, Madonna or the Blessed Mother. Whatever you choose to call her, the Virgin Mary is a powerful symbol in the Christian religion and therefor, it makes it one of the top choices for a religious tattoo.
In this post we will be talking about the history of the Virgin Mary and who she was in terms of her effect on Christianity. We will also talk about the symbolism behind the Virgin Mary tattoo and what it might mean to the person with it. In addition, there are many variations and symbolic meaning when discussing the Virgin Mary tattoo, so we will talk about a few of these to give you a better idea of what it means to have this tattoo. By the end of the post, you should feel more informed about the subject and potentially a little closer to getting your own tattoo.
About the Virgin Mary
The story of the Virgin Mary has been sent down generations and written in the New Testament of the Holy Bible. The story says that there was a woman named Mary that was set to marry a man named Joseph who happened to be the descendant of David. During the sixth month of the year, an angel came to visit Mary and told her that she was highly favored by the Lord. She was obviously nervous about this meeting, but the angel assured her that she shouldn’t be afraid.
What came next was the angel telling Mary that she was going to give birth to a child and she was name him Jesus. He was going to be the Son of God and he would get the throne for the kingdom and would and it would never end. She was curious as to how this was possible as she was a virgin, but the angel said that nothing was impossible with God.
The story hints that Mary was between 14 to 16 when she birthed Jesus. At the time, it was commonplace for girls at this age to be engaged and married. Joseph, who she was set to wed, was probably around 30.
At the time, this young couple would have been considered average in Israel. They would have been poor and while Joseph had a job as a carpenter.
Virgin Mary Tattoo Meaning
Nobody gets the Virgin Mary tattoo without it having a significant meaning for them. It is a very recognizable symbol. So much so that someone might not even ask you what it means because they might assume they know.
Now the Virgin Mary tattoo might only represent your faith in the Christian religion. It might also mean some other things if you look into what it means. The Virgin Mary tattoo is a representation of unconditional love and hope in troubled times. It is also used to console for the those looking for help from the heavens.
The Virgin Mary is symbolic of the kind of mother we all hope we can have. A woman who is caring, sympathetic, loving and nurturing. The kind of mother that we can reach out to when we need guidance or comfort. This tattoo is a great way to remind yourself that the Virgin Mary is there for you if you need it.
The Virgin Mary tattoo also symbolizes a forgiving heart and someone that is willing to dedicate their lives to a belief. Many times, those with the Virgin Mary tattoo are putting their belief in the Christian religion but even without that, the image itself is beautiful and would make a great tattoo.
The symbol of the Virgin Mary is also a representation of miracles. Her having a child and being a virgin is a miracle in itself so when one gets the Virgin Mary tattoo, they may be a believer in the idea that miracles can happen and that we should leave ourselves open to the idea.
Virgin Mary Tattoo Variations
When getting the Virgin Mary tattoo, we can incorporate other designs to the tattoo to reinforce the ideas behind it. The Virgin Mary will generally revolve around religious conviction, but the meaning can be far more personal. Below are a few examples of the Virgin Mary tattoo and the meaning behind it.
Virgin of Guadalupe Tattoo
The Virgin of Guadalupe is another title of the Virgin Mary but has a specific imagery and used more in the Hispanic communities. She is the champion of the poor, oppressed and of the outsiders. You will often see prisoners with this tattoo as they look at it as a symbol of protection. Most prisoners with this tattoo feel they were wrong or have been oppressed.
Virgin Mary Holding Jesus Tattoo
The Virgin Mary holding Jesus is a common variation of the Virgin Mary tattoo. You might also see examples of the Virgin Mary with Jesus at different ages or with angels surrounding her. The Virgin Mary symbol is a strong religious symbol and to add Jesus or angels to the imagery only makes the image more powerful for that that wear it.
That being said, you can take this image a lot of different directions when tattooing. Tattooing is an expression of creativity, so you can do what you like. Our only suggestion is that if you know the style of tattoo you want, make sure you are looking for an artist that has experience inking this style. If you need some assistance in finding an artist, let us know so we can help.