Why Should Christians Know What the Chi Rho Means?
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If anyone asks you what the symbol of Christianity is, the common answer anyone would give is the cross. It is a symbol that people of various cultures, countries, and ethnic backgrounds can identify.
While this is the symbol of Christianity for all denominations and traditions, other Christian symbols existed in the early church and continue to be in some traditions. The one we will focus on today is the Chi Rho.
Do not be alarmed if you do not follow Catholic or Orthodox traditions. It is understandable to be confused; that was me during my evangelical years (I am an Anglican Catholic, also called an Anglo-Catholic). The good news is that the Chi Rho has been used so long and so universally that we can appreciate this symbol whatever tradition we come from.
To understand the significance of the Chi Rho symbol, we need to understand its origins and meaning.
What Language Does Chi Rho Come From?
Chi Rho derives from Greece and refers to the Greek word for Christ, χριστός, which translates to chrīstós, or “anointed one.” As one can see by this Greek word, the first two symbols, “X” and “P,” are combined to create the Chi Rho symbol ☧.
Other meanings are woven into it as well. As Fr. Lawrence Lew of Aleteia puts it, “Some sources claim that before Christianity, the symbol may have been used by scribes to abbreviate the word ‘chrēstos,’ which means ‘good’ or ‘useful.’”
This symbol became known throughout the Eastern Roman Empire under Emperor Constantine the Great, but more on that later. Given that the New Testament Epistles were written in Greek, this symbol would become more common among early Christians. However, we must ask, did this symbol predate the Christian faith?
Did Pre-Christian Romans or Greeks Use the Chi Rho?
As previously mentioned, the symbol has had different meanings. While we are unsure if the symbol itself was used prior (my research results were limited), the word itself was used for different meanings.
This isn’t the first time a name or symbol in Christianity has different meanings. For example, the Trinity Knot. For those unaware, a common symbol of the trinity is the Trinity Know, which is of Irish and Celtic origin. In Christianity, it is used as an example of the Holy Trinity, with each knot representing God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost being connected yet distinct while the lines are interweaving and don’t have a beginning or end, symbolizing eternity. Before Christianity, the trinity knot symbolized love, friendship, and strength. Some were connected to pagan gods before their adoption into Christianity. Whether or not something is originally related or connected to Christianity is a topic that we will get into in a bit.
Did the Early Church Use the Chi Rho?
Historically, there isn’t a certain answer to whether the Chi Rho was used before Constantine the Great’s conversion (again, more on that later). What we do know, however, is that early Christians used other Greek symbols.
A case in point is the fish. You probably have seen this logo for the Angel Studios series The Chosen or for various Christian radio stations. In Greek, the word for fish is Ichthys. Its symbolic meaning refers to feeding the five thousand; it is even a poem that means, “Jesus Christ God’s Son Savior.”
Another one that is probably unfamiliar is a ship anchor. As Edward Riojas puts it in The Lutheran Witness, “Early Christians also used nautical themes. Anchor symbols not only portrayed the Lord’s steadfastness but also gave a gentle nod to the cross via the anchor’s crossbeam (Heb. 6:19).”
Another well-known Greek symbol is the Alpha (Α) and Omega (Ω) symbol. As the Encyclopedia Britannica explains, this symbol derives from the book of Revelation. It appears in various early Christian art, symbolizing Jesus in all his divinity—he is the beginning and the end.
So, while the Chi Rho itself wasn’t adopted until roughly the second and third centuries, others were already in use next to the cross. Now, where does the Chi Rho come from? I’m so glad you asked because I love this part of Church history!
How Did Emperor Constantine Use the Chi Rho?
Emperor Constantine the Great was canonized as a saint in Eastern Orthodoxy, Coptic Orthodoxy, and Roman Catholicism because he made Christianity the official state religion of the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly known as the Byzantine Empire. Before his conversion, Constantine was raised pagan, though some historians debate if his mother was Christian. Constantine came at a unique time in Roman history: the empire’s vast expansion of the empire was split in two by Emperor Diocletian before him, and a Roman civil war was ongoing between Constantine and Maxentius. The war culminated with the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD.
According to the Roman historian Eusebius, while Constantine was praying, “a marvelous sign appeared to him from heaven…when the day was already beginning to decline, he saw with his own eyes the trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, and bearing the inscription, conquer by this…with this, you shall prevail.” It should be noted that his entire army also witnessed this great sign, according to Eusebius.
Later that evening, Christ visited Constantine, who commanded him to make the same sign he saw in the heavens as a defense against his enemies in battle. Constantine then began using the Chi Rho regularly:
“the symbol of the Savior’s name, two letters indicating the name of Christ using its initial characters, the letter P being intersected by X in its center: and these letters the emperor was in the habit of wearing on his helmet at a later period . . . the emperor constantly made use of this sign of salvation as a safeguard against every adverse and hostile power, and commanded that others similar to it should be carried at the head of all his armies.”
Despite the debate surrounding the legitimacy of this claim, as John Burger of Aleteia details, the Chi Rho spread quickly throughout the Eastern Roman Empire. Not long after Constnatine’s conversion to Christianity, the faith was made the official state religion of the empire and eventually led to the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, where Trinitarian doctrine was made an official dogma and where the early church fathers wrote the official Nicene Creed.
What Can Christians Learn from the Chi Rho?
Regardless if one is an Evangelical Protestant or a Roman Catholic, one thing is for certain: History is part of Christianity. I say this because some refuse to acknowledge church history between the Apostles and Reformation or even go so far as to say that “Constantine ruined Christianity” despite the councils, creeds, and dogma that came out of it. Ancient symbols such as the Chi Rho are part of this history.
Now, one may be wondering, “Why would we adopt a secular symbol that predates Christianity? Wouldn’t that contradict Christianity itself?”
To that, I ask, “Is the cross no different?” The Latin cross was a symbol of death, and it also predates Christianity. In the Roman Empire, the cross was a warning sign to anyone who dared to defy the government, whether it was an insurrection, rebellion, defiance, etc. As we saw with Christ, these executions would be public to display just how cruel and powerful Rome was, especially to anyone proclaiming to be greater than Caesar or to be God.
Due to the resurrection of Christ, however, the cross’ original meaning of death and suffering became a symbol of hope and faith, for Christ himself conquered death through the resurrection (Lk. 24:1-5).
There is no reason to fret or worry over this symbol, let alone others. Symbols have meaning; if possible, they can change the world as the cross did. The Chi Rho symbol has deep roots in both Western and Eastern Christianity. At the very least, it should be acknowledged by all Christians. As Christianity.com contributor Vivian Bricker explains, “Through this symbol, we have unlimited possibilities to share the gospel with other people in our life. The Chi Rho symbol points us back to Jesus and helps our minds to remain focused on Him throughout our day.”
It can be hard at times to remember Christ, particularly when things get hard, but we can take the incentive to become better at focusing on Christ throughout our day. The Chi Rho symbol is a great way to do this. It can help you share the message of Jesus with the world.”
Photo Credit:©GettyImages/Gwengoat
Trey Soto holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from Biola University and an M.A. in Communication Management from the University of Denver. He is a photographer, a writer, and a podcast host at T.V. Trey Podcast. You can see more of his work on his Wix portfolio.
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