Catholic Symbols: A Visual Guide
What the Church's signs and images mean, where they come from and where you will see them. Tap a symbol to learn more, or read the illustrated article Catholic Symbols and Their Meanings.
ChristCross and CrucifixThe cross recalls Christ's death and resurrection. A crucifix adds his figure and is required on or near the altar at every Mass.
ChristThe Sacred HeartThe heart of Jesus, honored as the chief sign of his love for the Father and for every human being.
MaryThe Virgin MaryImages of Mary honor the Mother of God, whom the Church venerates with special devotion as the model of faith.
MaryThe RosaryA string of beads for praying Our Fathers and Hail Marys while meditating on the mysteries of Christ's life with Mary.
ChristThe Chi-RhoX and P, the first two Greek letters of Christos, joined as a monogram of Christ and made famous by Emperor Constantine.
ChristThe Ichthys (Fish)A fish sign whose Greek name, ICHTHYS, spells the initials of "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior."
ChristThe Alpha and OmegaThe first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, used for Christ as the beginning and the end of all things (Revelation 22:13).
The Trinity and the SpiritThe DoveThe traditional sign of the Holy Spirit, who came down on Jesus in the form of a dove at his baptism.
ChristThe Lamb of GodThe lamb stands for Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, sacrificed and risen.
ChristThe Sacred Monogram (IHS)IHS comes from the first three letters of the name Jesus in Greek. It is the emblem of the Holy Name and of the Jesuits.
MaryThe Fleur-de-lisA stylized lily used in Catholic art as a symbol of the Virgin Mary and her purity.
Hope and the ChurchThe Keys of HeavenTwo crossed keys stand for the authority Christ gave St. Peter: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 16:19).- The Trinity and the SpiritThe Trinity (Triangle)An equilateral triangle stands for one God in three equal Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
ChristThe PelicanA mother pelican feeding her young with her own blood: a medieval image of Christ's sacrifice and of the Eucharist.
Hope and the ChurchThe AnchorAn early Christian sign of hope, from Hebrews 6:19, which calls hope an anchor of the soul, sure and firm.
MaryThe LilyThe white lily is a sign of purity tied to the Virgin Mary and the Annunciation, and a familiar flower in churches at Easter.
ChristThe Crown of ThornsThe thorns soldiers forced on Jesus' head before the Crucifixion, a sign of his suffering and his mocked kingship.
Hope and the ChurchThe PomegranateIn Christian art the pomegranate's many seeds in one fruit suggest the Church, and its red, bursting fruit the Passion and Resurrection.
Hope and the ChurchThe PhoenixA bird of pagan myth said to rise again from its own death, adopted by early Christians as a sign of the resurrection.
Worship and sacramentsThe ShellA scallop shell, often shown with drops of water, is an emblem of Baptism and also of pilgrims and St. James the Apostle.
Hope and the ChurchThe ArkNoah's ark, which carried a few people safely through the flood, is a figure of Baptism and of the Church.- ChristThe VineChrist is the vine and his followers the branches (John 15:5). With wheat, grapes also stand for the Eucharist.
- Worship and sacramentsThe Sign of the CrossTracing a cross from forehead to chest and shoulder to shoulder while invoking the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Worship and sacramentsHoly WaterWater blessed by a priest. Catholics bless themselves with it at the church door as a reminder of their Baptism.
- Worship and sacramentsCandlesLighted candles stand on or near the altar at every Mass, a sign of reverence and festivity and of Christ, the light.
- Worship and sacramentsLiturgical ColorsThe priest's vestments change color with the season and feast: white, red, green, violet, and on certain days rose or black.
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