What is "IHS?"
Have you ever wondered what the letters IHS stand for. Long-time Catholics will remember it. Nowadays there is fewer Church Art that shows these letters. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "IHS is a [Greek] monogram of the name of Jesus Christ. From the third century the names of our Savior were sometimes shortened, particularly in Christian inscriptions (IH and XP, for Jesus and Christus). In the next century the "sigla" (chi-rho) occured not only as an abbreviation but also as a symbol. From the beginning, however, in Christian inscriptions the nomina sacra, or names of Jesus Christ, were shortened by contraction, thus IC and XC or IHS and XPS for Iesous Christos. These Greek monograms continued to be used in Latin during the Middle Ages."
Nowadays, the IHS symbol is often found on certain hosts, usually the larger ones used by priests for Holy Mass. It depends on the source where these are sold or prepared. Another place where this symbol is found, is on the backs of Chasubles (the outer garment the priest wears during Holy Mass).
This Greek symbol, the monogram of Jesus Christus, is also found on the insides covers of older prayer books. There used to be a time that every Catholic knew what the letters IHS stood for. The symbol also appears on Pixes (A Pix is a small gold-plated or brass container in which the Body of Christ is carried by Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion for the hospitalized sick and homebound parishioners) as well as on the front of Tabernacles. (Where the Blessed Sacrament is kept temporarily to be distributed at one of the following Holy Masses).
There are other symbols in the Catholic Church which may be strange to you. For example, the "Chi Rho" symbol. Of the several sacred monograms of Christ, the Chi Rho is one of the most ancient. It is generally formed of the Greek letters chi (X) and rho (P). These are the first letters of the Greek word "XPICTOC" (pronounced Christos), which means "Christ." The monogram has been styled in a variety of imaginative ways over the centuries. Other symbols are sometimes added to the monogram to call to mind a particular attribute of our Lord.
Another frequently found symbol in the Catholic Church is the Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet, signify the Eternity of God, thus without beginning or end. This symbol is often found on Tabernacles or Pixes and other Church vessels. In the picture at the right, the symbols are superimposed. On a Tabernacle, there is usually the Α (Alpha) on left side, and the Ώ (Omega) on the right side.
The Dove represents the Holy Spirit. Very often this symbol would be found on Glass-in-Lead windows above the Main Altar. Halos on Holy Pictures of Saints and on Statuary is a symbol of holiness.
Colors play a
distinctive role in the Church. Quoting from Art. 346 of the General Instruction
to the Roman Missal, the colors of sacred vestments used at Holy Mass are as
follows:
White is used in the Offices and Masses during the Easter and Christmas
seasons; also on celebrations of the Lord other than of his Passion, of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Holy Angels, and of Saints who were not Martyrs; on
the Solemnities of All Saints (1 November) and of the Nativity of Saint John the
Baptist (24 June); and on the Feasts of Saint John the Evangelist (27 December),
of the Chair of Saint Peter (22 February), and of the Conversion of Saint Paul
(25 January).
Red is used on Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion and on Good Friday, on
Pentecost Sunday, on celebrations of the Lord's Passion, on the feasts of the
Apostles and Evangelists, and on celebrations of Martyr Saints.
Green is used in the Offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.
Violet or purple is used in Advent and of Lent. It may also be
worn in Offices and Masses for the Dead (cf. below).
Besides violet, white or black vestments may be worn at funeral services and at
other Offices and Masses for the Dead in the Dioceses of the United States of
America.
Rose may be used, where it is the practice, on Gaudete Sunday (Third
Sunday of Advent) and on Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent).
On more solemn days, sacred vestments may be used that are festive, that is,
more precious, even if not of the color of the day. Gold or silver
colored vestments may be worn on more solemn occasions in the dioceses of the
United States of America.
If anyone has any questions concerning art and symbolism in the Roman Catholic Church, please let us know and we'll research them.
Fred Schaeffer,
SFO
July 29, 2004