Recently Viewed ›
Recently Downloaded 
Close x
So, what is the symbol of Christianity? There actually isn’t just one symbol - there are lots of symbols that have different meanings and purposes within the different branches of Christianity. Take a read of some of the main symbols of Christianity below. If you want to learn more about Christianity to help teach your students about it, check out our ‘What is Christianity?’ teaching wiki.
The main symbol of Christianity is the cross; a symbol of the crucifixion of Jesus and his passion. In the Bible, Jesus walks with and carries the heavy cross a long way on his way to his crucifixion. In Christianity, Jesus is considered to have sacrificed himself and died for others’ sins. In this sense, the heavy cross therefore symbolises the heavy burden that Jesus carried for all Christians. The cross has many meanings, symbols, and interpretations, depending on the individual. What does the symbol of the crucifix mean to you?
Check out our Stations of the Cross PowerPoint to learn more about Jesus carrying his cross.
A dove is a small white bird. It can often be found in Catholic churches on stained glass windows. The dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirt. In the Bible, when Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist, a dove descended onto him. The dove is a recurring symbol in the Bible, and it’s often depicted carrying an olive branch, as seen in the story of Noah’s ark. A dove with an olive branch symbolises forgiveness and acceptance.
A rosary is a string of beads connected with a crucifix that is used in the Roman Catholic Church to help people say their prayers.
Jesus is often represented as a lamb – more specifically, the Lamb of God. He is often depicted as a lamb in the Bible. The whiteness of the lamb is a symbol of innocence and purity. Lambs are also associated with sacrifice – specifically in the Old Testament in the Bible. Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb, sacrificed his life for Christianity.
The bread and wine that you receive in Church is also referred to as the Eucharist. The Bible tells us that this tradition began at the Last Supper, on the night before Jesus was crucified. He brought his closest followers together, and they celebrated the annual Jewish feast of Passover. At the end of their meal, Jesus took some bread and wine, and turned them into a personal memorial. He wanted his followers to remember the sacrifice that he was about to make by losing his life. In the Bible, it states that he says “this is my body, given for you; do this in memory of me.” In the same way, he then takes the cup of wine and says, “this cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
The bread symbolises Jesus’ body and the wine symbolises Jesus’ blood and his life that he sacrificed for Christianity. The elements of the bread and wine can vary – the bread may be a wafer, or a part of a loaf of bread. Sometimes the wine is alcoholic, and sometimes it can be red fruit juice. The bread and the wine only become the body and blood of Jesus Christ after a process called transubstantiation, where the priest says a Eucharistic prayer in order for this process to take place. For more information about the Eucharistic process, check out this Christian Practices Lesson 3 PowerPoint: The Eucharist.
We have a whole bunch of resources alongside this teaching wiki page that will help you out when your students ask you “what is the symbol of Christianity?” The short answer is – there are many symbols of Christianity, and they all mean different things to different people.
Check out some of our top resources about Christianity:
Home 
Membership 
Customer Support 
Create 
Blog 
