Christian Tattoos And Tattoo Of Jesus Christ

Posted on June 4, 2009
Filed Under Curious Tattoo Facts, Tattoo Designs

There is an assumption that first Christians tattooed themselves. They inked Christ’s initials, a lamb, a cross or a fish on their foreheads or on the inner side of their elbow.

According to some historical evidences, many Christians wanted to emblazon the sign of a cross or the name of Jesus on their palms and shoulders or the monogram ‘JC’ or a ‘T’ symbol (that reminds a cross) on their foreheads. Later this custom was adopted by the crusaders who changed the Greek cross into the Latin cross – it guaranteed their Christian burial after death. However, some historians think that Christians’ marks were cauterized rather than inked. The procedure of cauterization was used on slaves and Christians because they were renegades that didn’t follow the so called true faith. But the Christians did not consider such markings to be a shame – it was the sign of their belonging to those who were ready to suffer for their faith.

Nevertheless, since the year of 787 A.D. tattoo became unpopular with the Church. In the countries where Christians were a majority men of God strongly opposed to tattooing symbols and images and believing in their protective powers. Even in the Old Testament we can find the verse that speaks against any tattoos: Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD (Leviticus 19:28). Only the Catholics of Bosnia and Herzegovina were permitted to tattoo a cross during the war with Ottoman Empire. It prevented people from accepting Islam, because the procedure of removing the tattoo was difficult and painful.

Today the verse from Leviticus is being hotly contested while tattoos of Jesus Christ and different religious images are becoming widely spread. Well, who knows… Some people say that even Apostle Paul had a tattoo of Jesus Christ

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One Response to “Christian Tattoos And Tattoo Of Jesus Christ”

Perverted tattoos: Prisoners Of Prejudices on June 29th, 2009 2:55 am

[...] the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you. I am the Lord.” This topic has already been touched in one of our previous posts. Many people oppose that this verse together with several precious mean doing things to honor the [...]

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