The Fish Symbol or ICHTHYS

       The ichthys or ichthus (/ˈɪkθəs/), from the Greek ikhthýs (ἰχθύς 1st cent. AD Koine Greek [ikʰˈtʰys], "fish") is a symbol consisting of two intersecting arcs, the ends of the right side extending beyond the meeting point so as to resemble the profile of a fish. Now known colloquially as the "sign of the fish" or the "Jesus fish". 

       According to tradition, ancient Christians, during their persecution by the Roman Empire in the first few centuries after Christ, used the fish symbol to mark meeting places and tombs, or to distinguish friends from foes:

"According to one ancient story, when a Christian met a stranger in the road, the Christian sometimes drew one arc of the simple fish outline in the dirt. If the stranger drew the other arc, both believers knew they were in good company. Current bumper-sticker and business-card uses of the fish hearken back to this practice."

— Christianity Today, Elesha Coffman, "Ask The Expert"

       There are several other hypotheses as to why the fish was chosen. Some sources indicate that the earliest literary references came from the recommendation of Clement of Alexandria to his readers (Paedagogus, III, xi) to engrave their seals with the dove or fish. However, it can be inferred from Roman monumental sources such as the Cappella Greca and the Sacrament Chapels of the catacomb of St. Callistus that the fish symbol was known to Christians much earlier. Another probable explanation is that it is a reference to the scripture in which Jesus miraculously feeds 5,000 people with fish and bread Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:12-17, and John 6:4-13). The ichthys may also relate to Jesus or his disciples as "fishers of men" (e.g., Mark 1:17). Tertullian, in his treatise On Baptism, makes a pun on the word, writing that "we, little fishes, after the example of our ΙΧΘΥΣ Jesus Christ, are born in water." Still another explanation could be the reference to the sign of Jonah. Just like he was in the belly of a big fish, so Christ was crucified, entombed for three days, and then rose from the dead.

The ICHTHYS with lettering.

ΙΧΘΥΣ, or also ΙΧΘΥϹ with lunate sigma (Ichthys) is a backronym/acrostic for "Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ", (Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr) contemporary Koine [ie̝ˈsus kʰrisˈtos tʰeˈu (h)yˈjos soˈte̝r], which translates into English as "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour."

• Iota (i) is the first letter of Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς), Greek for "Jesus".
• Chi (ch) is the first letter of Christos (Χριστός), Greek for "anointed."
• Theta (th) is the first letter of Theou (Θεοῦ), Greek for "God's", the genitive case of Θεóς, Theos," Greek for "God."
• Upsilon (y) is the first letter of (h)yios (Υἱός), Greek for "Son".
• Sigma (s) is the first letter of sōtēr (Σωτήρ), Greek for "Savior."

       This explanation is given among others by Augustine in his Civitate Dei, where he notes that the generating sentence " Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς [sic] Θεοῦ Υἱὸς Σωτήρ" has 27 letters, i.e. 3 x 3 x 3, which in that age indicated power. (This suggestion is obviously spurious, resulting from Augustine's ignorance of Greek.) Augustine quotes also an ancient text from the Sibylline oracles whose verses are an acrostic of the generating sentence.
       A fourth century A.D. adaptation of ichthys as a wheel contains the letters ΙΧΘΥΣ superimposed such that the result resembles an eight-spoked wheel.

Scripture References for ICHTHYS Chrismons:

• "Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" Mark 1:17 (NLT)
• "Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from You." And answering He said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, and no sign will be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it." Matthew 12: 38-42 (BLB)
• "You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this." Acts 3:15 (NIV)

The fish with realistic dimension. 

Lamp Symbolism for Chrismons

An ancient Christian oil lamp with the initials of
 Christ (Chi-Rho) and two fish sculpted on it's surface.

         An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and continues to this day, although not commonly anymore. Here there are two ancient oil lamp illustrations that you may use for Chrismon patterns. They are actual drawings of early Christian lamps.

       Early oil lamps were often used by Christians to symbolize the wisdom, enlightenment and spiritual knowledge gained by exposure to Christ's teaching.

This ancient lamp depicts a shepherd with a lamb over his shoulders
 and grapes surrounding the vignette. Both are examples of early
Christian art in Rome.

Antique bronze oil lamp with the "Chi Rho",
a Christian symbol (replica)

Scripture References for Lamp Chrismons:

• "Thy word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path." Psalm 119:105 (NASB)
• "the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned." Matthew 4:16 (WEB)
• "Then Jesus spoke out again, "I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12 (NET Bible)
• "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
  " Ephesians 5:14 (KJB)
• "And I have seen that wisdom excels folly as far as light excels darkness." Ecclesiastes 2:13 (Jubilee Bible 2000)

Amy Grant's song "Thy Word" is 

based upon Psalm 119:105 text.

The Savior's Anchor Symbol

       As the Greek word for a fish, ΙΧΘΥΣ, contained the initials of the name and titles of Christ, "Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ", Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Savior, the figure of a fish was one of the earliest Christian symbols.

Scripture References for The Savior's Anchor Chrismon:

• "But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?" When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" The disciples were absolutely terrified. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "Even the wind and waves obey him!" Mark 4:37-41(NLT)
• "Where is your faith?" He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!" Luke 8:25 (BSB)
• "And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8 (KJB)

Anchor of the soul in medallion.

The Trinity Fish Symbols

       This trinity fish symbol is very old and not in common use anymore, except for it's use on Chrismon trees. This is because Chrismon trees depict the histories of many people.

       Some sources say that the converted Celtic Christians used this symbol prior to becoming Christians and then transferred it to Trinity worship because it represented the God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit so perfectly. 

       Symbolic language in ancient times did change throughout history. Just as meanings attached to much of our own vocabulary changes over time. This is not a strange phenomena, in fact, it happens all of the time. In order to correctly establish meanings behind symbols, one should contextualize them for the time, place and their use by the people who used them. 

       The Lord brought many gentiles into his church and with this gift came much cultural heritage. This does not mean that every symbol that has former history must be eliminated from our memory. It does require, however, that that history be understood, taught and valuable lessons be learned from it.

• Scriptural References for The Holy Trinity here

       Above and below two more variations of Trinity Fish for visitors to use in Chrismon crafts.