christian jewelry and its symbols

Oldest symbols used in Christian jewelry such as the Ichthys, cross and dove.

The cross did not become openly used in Christian jewelry until around the 3rd century A.D., when the emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of Rome. Since then the cross has become the most significant of Christian symbols, and has been widely used in art and Christian jewelry. The celtic cross one of the most popular pieces of Christian jewelry. The St. Anthony cross is a cross in the shape of the letter T.

It's really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of christian jewelry. The Ichthys is symbolic of Christ as “the fisher of men”.
The dove is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The story goes that when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of the dove. The dove is also a universal symbol of peace and purity. The dove is the perfect baptismal gift.

There's no doubt that the topic of christian jewelry can be fascinating.

christian jewelry - A Baptism gift

If you have even a passing interest in the topic of christian jewelry, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of christian jewelry.

In the Catholic tradition, religious jewelry is often given as a Baptism gift, a Communion gift, or a Confirmation gift. Tiny rosaries or small bracelets are often given to babies upon their Baptism, while necklaces and rosaries are often chosen as gifts for First Holy Communion.The wearing of religious jewelry is steeped in many faiths. Presenting Saint medals to Roman Catholics experiencing their Confirmation is common, as is the gifting of other religious jewelry. Christian jewelry, such as gold or silver crucifixes, Holy Spirit pins, and rosaries are also given.popular Patron Saints are:

Patron Saints most christian likes to wear are:
St. Jude - The Patron Saint, St. Matthew - One of the 12 Apostles, St. Philomena, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Agnes - The Patron Saint of girls. Religious jewelry is not only an adornment - it is a manifestation of faith. When given as a gift it is a reminder of one's faith in God.

christian jewelry : The History and Lore of Catholic Jewelry

Catholic jewelry has a long and rich history. It has taken on many forms and many meanings over the millennia. From the hidden meanings of anchors and Ichthys, to the development of the crucifix in the 5th century A.D., Catholic jewelry has played a large part in the faith of millions.

Early Catholic jewelry:

While the cross has always been the most important Christian symbol, it was not openly used as such until the 4th century A.D. Early Christians feared persecution for their faith, and so developed several symbols that were not easily recognized as Catholic jewelry in order to recognize each other. The two most prevalent of these symbols were the anchor and the Ichthys. The Ichthys, two intersecting arcs resembling the profile of a fish, was probably used in Catholic jewelry as a reference to Christ as “the fisher of men”. The anchor, or mariners cross, was used in Catholic jewelry as a symbol of hope based in the faith in Christ. By using these forms of Catholic jewelry early Christians were able to avoid persecution.

The cross and the crucifix

It was not until the Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity in the 4th century A.D. that the cross became openly and widely used in Catholic jewelry. More than fifty variants of the cross would later develop, but the four most important were: the Latin cross, a cross with a horizontal bar intersecting a longer vertical bar near the top; the Greek cross, a cross with equilateral arms; the Tau cross, a cross in the shape of the letter T; and the Saint Andrews cross, a cross shaped like the letter X. The crucifix, a Latin cross with the body of Christ (corpus) and the inscription INRI or “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” upon it, did not become prevalent in Catholic jewelry until the 5th century A.D. Whereas the Protestant churches use a Latin cross left blank to symbolize the Resurrection, the Catholic Church uses the crucifix to symbolize the sacrifice of Jesus.

Saint medallions:

The tradition of wearing Saint medallions is derived from the pagan practice of wearing talismans depicting their gods as a form of protection. The Catholic Church, instead of banning it, embraced this practice, substituting the pagan gods with Catholic saints. Saint medallions are now one of the most popular forms of catholic jewelry. They are worn as a way to invoke the protection of a patron saint. Patron Saints include: St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, ecology, and peace; St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland and excluded people; St. Helena, patron saint of archeologists and converts; St. John Bosco, patron saint of students and laborers. Here is a good page to view all styles of Catholic jewelry.

Where is the best place to purchase Catholic jewelry:

To get an idea of the different styles and prices that are available in Catholic jewelry it is more convenient to view them online before shopping around at local jewelry stores.

Retail jewelers will sometimes carry a small selection of Catholic jewelry, but you are most apt to find a greater selection online. Just type "Catholic jewelry " into an Internet search engine like Google or Yahoo and you will find several reliable websites that specialize in Catholic jewelry.

The cost of Catholic jewelry is dependant upon many variables. In solid 14K yellow or white gold, crucifixes should cost about $50 to $300 depending on size. Saint medals should cost between $40 and $200, depending on the size.

The ultimate expression of faith:

Catholic jewelry is the ultimate expression of faith. Whether a pendant, cross, crucifix, Ichthys, or anchor, Catholic jewelry always has and always will proclaim the proud heritage of Christians around the world.

by Casey Buell

Religious Jewelry: A Memorable Gift

The wearing of religious jewelry is steeped in many faiths. Christian jewelry often takes the form of a cross that is worn by the Christian as an outward symbol of his or her inner faith in Jesus.

In the Catholic tradition, religious jewelry is often given as a Baptism gift, a Communion gift, or a Confirmation gift. Tiny rosaries or small bracelets are often given to babies upon their Baptism, while necklaces and rosaries are often chosen as gifts for First Holy Communion. For Catholic children, however, it is Confirmation - and the Saint medals they receive - that is often the most meaningful.

In preparation for their Confirmation, Roman Catholic pre-teens choose a Saint's name to take as their own. It's not uncommon for them to pour over books about Saints and to query relatives about their own Confirmation names. Often, relatives will bring out the Saints medals they received as gifts upon their Confirmations and share vivid recollections about the significance of their Patron Saints.

Presenting Saint medals to Roman Catholics experiencing their Confirmation is common, as is the gifting of other religious jewelry. Christian jewelry, such as gold or silver crucifixes, Holy Spirit pins, and rosaries are also given. But it is often saint medals that mean the most to the girl or boy being Confirmed.

Some of the most popular Patron Saints are:

St. Jude - The Patron Saint of desperate cases, St. Jude was one of the 12 Apostles. His feast day is October 28.

St. Matthew - One of the 12 Apostles, St. Matthew is the Patron Saint of bankers, possibly because he was a tax collector prior to his conversion. His feast day is September 21.

St. Philomena - Although much of her life remains a mystery, it is believed that St. Philomena was martyred at the age of 14. This is why she is the Patron Saint of infants and children.

St. Thomas Aquinas - Born in 1226, St. Thomas Aquinas is the Patron Saint of students and of universities. His feast day is January 28.

St. Agnes - The Patron Saint of girls, more specifically of the Children of Mary, St. Agnes was martyred at the age of 13. Her feast day is January 21.

Religious jewelry is not only an adornment - it is a manifestation of faith. When given as a gift, it is an acknowledgement of the spirituality of the recipient. When worn, it is a reminder of one's faith in God and a recognition of one's humble origins.


by Chris Robertson

christian jewelry : ScriptureWear

We're glad you surfed in and hope you'll enjoy our latest line of ScriptureWear® Christian jewelry.

ScriptureWear, Inc., is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Stay-at-home moms hand-craft all of our pins and pendants. Most of the moms have a husband in school or seminary. They all love the Lord and put their hearts into making each piece of ScriptureWear® special.

Let me tell you a little bit about ScriptureWear® pieces. Each piece is based on verses in scripture. Every pin or pendant is mounted on a card. The scripture explaining the components of that piece is printed on the back of the card. Our customers find this feature very desirable, especially if they are giving the piece as a gift. Our pin backs are placed vertically so each pin can also be worn as a pendant on a chain or neck ring. With very few exceptions, all metal parts of our jewelry are made of 24k gold electro-plated brass and sterling silver. We use only genuine Austrian crystals.

ScriptureWear® pieces also give our customers a way to share their faith when comments are made about them. This is also a perfect witnessing opportunity.

If you would like a color brochure showing the actual size and color of each piece, please complete our brochure request form with name and address.

by Shelley

christian jewelry : Ancient Symbols Of Faith Are Hot New Styles

Some styles may come and go, but faith is always in fashion. Crosses, crucifixes, saint medals, and more, these are the jewelry pieces that we will cherish forever. But the hottest new styles in Christian jewelry are the ancient symbols of faith, which predate even the cross.These symbols, such as the Ichthys, anchor, and dove, are the oldest symbols used in Christian jewelry. Each has a very special and very specific meaning. Because of these special qualities the ancient symbols of faith are making a huge resurgence in Christian jewelry and fashion.The symbolism of ancient Christian jewelry:The cross did not become openly used in Christian jewelry until around the 3rd century A.D., when the emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of Rome. Since then the cross has become the most significant of Christian symbols, and has been widely used in art and Christian jewelry.Christian jewelry played a large part in the protection and promotion of early Christianity. Since early Christians were often persecuted for their faith, it was not safe to openly display the cross. Early Christians instead wore other forms of Christian jewelry, such as:The Ichthys: The Ichthys consists of two intersecting arcs resembling the profile of a fish, and in modern Christian jewelry usually has the name “Jesus” written in the center. The Ichthys is symbolic of Christ as “the fisher of men”. The clean, simple lines of the Ichthys form an elegantly understated piece of Christian jewelry, for the person who revels in the richness of simplicity.The anchor: The anchor obviously has special significance to mariners, and is in fact commonly known as the mariners cross. But it was originally used not only by the seagoing, but also by Christians from all walks of life. The anchor is used in Christian jewelry as a symbol of Jesus as the anchor of Christian life, as well as hope based in the faith in Christ. The anchor is the perfect piece of Christian jewelry for those who spend a lot of time at sea, as well as those who need steadfastness in their lives.By Casey Buell The dove: The dove is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The story goes that when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of the dove. The dove is also a universal symbol of peace and purity. The dove is the perfect baptismal gift.The Lamb of God: The Lamb of God, or Angus Dei, is the oldest depiction of Jesus. Jesus was named the Angus Dei when John the Baptist, upon seeing him, proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. In Christian jewelry he Lamb has become the symbol of innocence and triumph over sin.These are just a few of the ancient symbols found in Christian jewelry. With so many different symbols with so many different stories it is easy to find the perfect piece to celebrate the individual, while still celebrating faith.