May 19, 2015 – “X” is for the Greek letter “Chi”

Chi is the 22nd letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has the value of 600. The Chi – Rho is the oldest known monogram (or letter symbol) for Christ. Some call it a “Christogram” and it dates back to the Emperor Constantine, who, whether the story is true or not, is supposed to have seen a Chi-Rho in the sky on the eve of a great battle – signaling to him that he would be victorious. And because he was victorious, this led to his conversion to Christianity and the legalization of Christianity. Chi (x = ch) and Rho (p = r) are the first three letters of “Christ” or “Christos” in the Greek language. The Chi-Rho then is formed by superimposing the first two (capital) letters chi and rho (ΧΡ) of the Greek word “ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ” = Christ in such a way to produce the monogram. Although not technically a Christian cross, the Chi-Rho invokes the crucifixion of Jesus, as well as symbolising his status as the Christ.

There are many symbols that we might find on the altar in our churches or on the Paschal Candle, or the Christ Candle in the altar space. Such symbols or abbreviations include:

ΙϹΧϹ — a traditional abbreviation of the Greek words for “Jesus Christ” (i.e., the first and last letters of each of the words ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ — written “ΙΗϹΟΥϹ ΧΡΙϹΤΟϹ” with the lunate sigma “Ϲ” common in medieval Greek).

In many Protestant churches today, the most common Christogram became “IHS” or “IHC”, denoting the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, IHΣΟΥΣ, iota-eta-sigma, or ΙΗΣ. (It does not stand for “one hour service”)

“IHS” is sometimes interpreted as meaning Iesus Hominum Salvator (“Jesus, Saviour of men” in Latin) or connected with In Hoc Signo.

The acronym INRI (Latin: Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum) represents the Latin inscription which in English reads as “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews” and John 19:20 states that this was written in three languages—Hebrew, Latin, and Greek—during the crucifixion of Jesus. The Greek version reads “ΙΝΒΙ”, representing Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὁ Bασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων.

Pastor Dave