Catholic jewelry has a long and rich history. It has taken on many forms and many meanings over the millennia. From the hidden meanings of anchors and Ichthys, to the development of the crucifix in the 5th century AD, Catholic jewelry has played an important role in the faith of millions.
Early Catholic jewelry:
While the cross has always been the most important Christian symbol, it was not used openly as such until the 4th century AD. Early Christians feared persecution for their faith, so they developed various symbols that were not easily recognized as Catholic jewelry to recognize each. other. The two most frequent of these symbols were the anchor and the Ichthys. The Ichthys, two intersecting bows that resemble the profile of a fish, were probably used in Catholic jewelry as a reference to Christ as “the fisher of men.” The anchor, or sailors’ cross, was used in Catholic jewelry as a symbol of hope based on faith in Christ. By wearing these forms of Catholic jewelry, early Christians were able to avoid persecution.
The cross and the crucifix
It was not until the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity in the 4th century AD that the cross became open and widely used in Catholic jewelry. More than fifty variants of the cross would be developed later, but the four most important were: the Latin cross, a cross with a horizontal bar crossing a longer vertical bar near the top; the Greek cross, a cross with equilateral arms; the Tau cross, a cross in the shape of the letter T; and the cross of Saint Andrews, a cross shaped like the letter X. The crucifix, a Latin cross with the body of Christ (corpus) and the inscription INRI or “Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews”, did not prevail in Catholic jewelry until the 5th century AD. C. While the Protestant churches use a blank Latin cross to symbolize the resurrection, the Catholic Church uses the crucifix to symbolize the sacrifice of Jesus.
Saint Medallions:
The tradition of wearing medallions of saints stems from the pagan practice of wearing talismans representing their gods as a form of protection. The Catholic Church, instead of banning it, adopted this practice, substituting pagan gods for Catholic saints. Saint medallions are now one of the most popular forms of Catholic jewelry. They are used as a way to invoke the protection of a patron saint. The Patron Saints include: Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, ecology and peace; Saint Patrick, patron of Ireland and excluded persons; Santa Elena, patroness of archaeologists and converts; Saint John Bosco, patron saint of students and workers. Here’s a good page to see all the styles of Catholic jewelry.
Where is the best place to buy Catholic jewelry?
To get an idea of the different styles and prices that are available in Catholic jewelry, it is best to view them online before shopping at local jewelry stores.
Retail jewelers sometimes have a small selection of Catholic jewelry, but you are more likely to find a larger selection online. Just type “Catholic jewelry” into an Internet search engine such as Google or Yahoo and you will find several reliable websites that specialize in Catholic jewelry.
The cost of Catholic jewelry depends on many variables. In solid 14K yellow or white gold, crucifixes should cost between $ 50 and $ 300, depending on size. Saints’ medals should cost between $ 40 and $ 200, depending on the size.
The ultimate expression of faith:
Catholic jewelry is the ultimate expression of faith. Be it a pendant, cross, crucifix, Ichthys, or anchor, Catholic jewelry has always and will always proclaim the proud heritage of Christians around the world.
