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The Chi Rho (☧, English pronunciation Template:IPAc-en; also known as chrismon<ref>From a supposed Middle Latin crismon), specifically applied to the "Chrismon of Saint Ambrose" in Milan Cathedral. Crismon (par les Bénédictins de St. Maur, 1733–1736), in: du Cange, et al., Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, ed. augm., Niort: L. Favre, 1883‑1887, t. 2, col. 621b. "CRISMON, Nota quæ in libro ex voluntate uniuscujusque ad aliquid notandum ponitur. Papias in MS. Bituric. Crismon vel Chrismon proprie est Monogramma Christi sic expressum ☧"; 1 chrismon (par les Bénédictins de St. Maur, 1733–1736), in: du Cange, et al., Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, ed. augm., Niort : L. Favre, 1883‑1887, t. 2, col. 318c Template:Webarchive.</ref>) is one of the earliest forms of the Christogram, formed by superimposing the first two (capital) letters—chi and rho (ΧΡ)—of the Greek {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (rom: Christos) in such a way that the vertical stroke of the rho intersects the center of the chi.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
The Chi-Rho symbol was used by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (r. 306–337 AD) as part of a military standard (vexillum). Constantine's standard was known as the Labarum. Early symbols similar to the Chi Rho were the Staurogram (File:Staurogram.svg) and the IX monogram (File:Christliche Symbolik (Menzel) I 193 4.jpg).
_I_193_4.jpg){kind=link}
Although formed of Greek characters, the device (or its separate parts) is frequently found serving as an abbreviation in Latin text, with endings added appropriate to a Latin noun, thus XPo, signifying Christo, "to Christ", the dative form of Christus,<ref>For example as inscribed on the monumental brass of Thomas de Camoys, 1st Baron Camoys (d.1421) in St George's Church, Trotton, Sussex, England</ref> or {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, signifying Christicola, "Christian", in the Latin lyrics of Sumer is icumen in.
Origin and adoptionEdit
Usage before ChristianityEdit
In pre-Christian times, the Chi-Rho symbol was used to mark a particularly valuable or relevant passage in the margin of a page, abbreviating chrēston (good).<ref>Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb.</ref> Some coins of Ptolemy III Euergetes (r. 246–222 BC) were marked with a Chi-Rho.<ref>Template:Harvnb: "The chi-rho series of Euergetes' reign had been the most extensive series of bronze coins ever minted, comprising eight denominations from 1 chalkous to 4 obols."</ref>
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In ChristianityEdit
According to Lactantius,<ref>Lactantius. On the Deaths of the Persecutors, Chapter 44.</ref> a Latin historian of North African origins saved from poverty by the Emperor Constantine the Great (r. 306–337), who made him tutor to his son Crispus, Constantine had dreamt of being ordered to put a "heavenly divine symbol" (Template:Langx) on the shields of his soldiers. The description of the actual symbol chosen by Emperor Constantine the next morning, as reported by Lactantius, is not very clear: it closely resembles a Tau-Rho or a staurogram (File:Christliche Symbolik (Menzel) I 193 2.jpg), a similar Christian symbol. That very day Constantine's army fought the forces of Maxentius and won the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312), outside Rome.
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Eusebius of Caesarea (died in 339) gave two different accounts of the events. In his church history, written shortly after the battle, when Eusebius had not yet had contact with Constantine, he does not mention any dream or vision, but compares the defeat of Maxentius (drowned in the Tiber) to that of the biblical pharaoh and credits Constantine's victory to divine protection.
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In a memoir of the Roman emperor that Eusebius wrote after Constantine's death (On the Life of Constantine, Template:Circa–339), a miraculous appearance is said to have come in Gaul long before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. In this later version, the Roman emperor had been pondering the misfortunes that befell commanders who invoked the help of many different gods, and decided to seek divine aid in the forthcoming battle from the One God. At noon, Constantine saw a cross of light imposed over the sun. Attached to it, in Greek characters, was the saying "Εν τούτῳ Νίκα!" ("In this, conquer!").<ref>The well known sentence In hoc signo vinces is simply a later Latin translation of Eusebius's Greek wording.</ref> Not only Constantine, but the whole army saw the miracle. That night, Christ appeared to the Roman emperor in a dream and told him to make a replica of the sign he had seen in the sky, which would be a sure defence in battle.
Eusebius wrote in the Vita that Constantine himself had told him this story "and confirmed it with oaths" late in life "when I was deemed worthy of his acquaintance and company." "Indeed", says Eusebius, "had anyone else told this story, it would not have been easy to accept it."
Eusebius also left a description of the labarum, the military standard which incorporated the Chi-Rho sign, used by Emperor Constantine in his later wars against Licinius.<ref>Eusebius Pamphilius: Church History, Life of Constantine, Oration in Praise of Constantine, Chapter 31.</ref>
Later usageEdit
Late antiquityEdit
An early visual representation of the connection between the Crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection, seen in the 4th century sarcophagus of Domitilla in Rome, the use of a wreath around the Chi-Rho symbolizes the victory of the Resurrection over death.<ref>Template:Harvnb. Sarcophagus with Scenes of the Passion (probably from the Catacomb of Domitilla), Rome, mid-fourth century. Marble, 23ʺ x 80ʺ. Museo Pio Christiano, Vatican, Rome.</ref>
After Constantine, the Chi-Rho became part of the official imperial insignia. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence demonstrating that the Chi-Rho was emblazoned on the helmets of some Late Roman soldiers. Coins and medallions minted during Emperor Constantine's reign also bore the Chi-Rho. By the year 350, the Chi-Rho began to be used on Christian sarcophagi and frescoes. The usurper Magnentius appears to have been the first to use the Chi-Rho monogram flanked by Alpha and Omega, on the reverse of some coins minted in 353.<ref>Template:Harvnb. See also Template:Harvnb.</ref> In Roman Britannia, a tesselated mosaic pavement was uncovered at Hinton St. Mary, Dorset, in 1963. On stylistic grounds, it is dated to the 4th century; its central roundel represents a beardless male head and bust draped in a pallium in front of the Chi-Rho symbol, flanked by pomegranates, symbols of eternal life. Another Romano-British Chi-Rho, in fresco, was found at the site of a villa at Lullingstone (illustrated). The symbol was also found on Late Roman Christian signet rings in Britain.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
In 2020, archaeologists discovered in Vindolanda in northern England a 5th-century chalice covered in religious iconography, including the Chi-Rho.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Insular Gospel booksEdit
In Insular Gospel books, the beginning of Matthew 1:18, at the end of his account of the genealogy of Christ and introducing his account of the life, so representing the moment of the Incarnation of Christ, was usually marked with a heavily decorated page, where the letters of the first word "Christi" are abbreviated and written in Greek as "XPI", and often almost submerged by decoration.<ref>In the Latin Vulgate the verse was "Christi autem generatio sic erat cum esset desponsata mater eius Maria Ioseph antequam convenirent inventa est in utero habens de Spiritu Sancto" ("Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit")</ref> Though the letters are written one after the other and the "X" and "P" not combined in a monogram, these are known as Chi-Rho pages.
Famous examples are in the Book of Kells and Book of Lindisfarne.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref> The "X" was regarded as the crux decussata, a symbol of the cross; this idea is found in the works of Isidore of Seville and other patristic and Early Medieval writers.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref> The Book of Kells has a second Chi-Rho abbreviation on folio 124 in the account of the Crucifixion of Christ,<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref> and in some manuscripts the Chi-Rho occurs at the beginning of Matthew rather than mid-text at Matthew 1:18. In some other works like the Carolingian Godescalc Evangelistary, "XPS" in sequential letters, representing "Christus" is given a prominent place.<ref>Template:Harvnb.</ref>
In UnicodeEdit
The Chi Rho symbol has two Unicode codepoints:
- Template:Unichar in the Miscellaneous symbols block and
- Template:Unichar in the Coptic block.
GalleryEdit
- Sculpture en pierre, Pavillon des Antiquités du Musée National des Antiquités d'Alger - 10.jpg
The symbol in the middle of the circle, National Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Art, Algiers.
- Sculpture en pierre, Pavillon des Antiquités du Musée National des Antiquités d'Alger - 07.jpg
The symbol at the top of the rock, National Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Art, Algiers.
- Rom, Calixtus-Katakomben, Steintafel mit Christussymbol "Chi Rho".jpg
The Chi-Rho symbol ☧, Catacombs of San Callisto, Rome.
- Chrisme Colosseum Rome Italy.jpg
Monogramme of Christ (the Chi Rho) on a plaque of a sarcophagus, 4th-century AD, marble, Musei Vaticani, on display in a temporary exhibition at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy
- Rom, Domitilla-Katakomben, Steintafel mit Christussymbol chi rho.jpg
The Chi-Rho symbol ☧, Catacombs of Domitilla, Rome.
- Rom, Domitilla-Katakomben, Steintafel mit Inschrift, Alpha und Omega und Christussymbol Chi Rho.jpg
The Chi-Rho symbol ☧ with Alpha and Omega, Catacombs of Domitilla, Rome.
- Contantinople Christian sarcophagus circa 400.jpg
Constantinople Christian sarcophagus with XI monogram, Template:Circa.
- Anastasis Pio Christiano Inv31525.jpg
The Chi-Rho with a wreath symbolizing the victory of the Resurrection, above Roman soldiers, Template:Circa.
- Christogramvormig beslag in brons, 375 tot 450 NC, vindplaats- Neerharen-Rekem, 1982, Germaanse nederzetting, afvalkuil 7, collectie Gallo-Romeins Museum Tongeren, 81.NE.023.jpg
Roman Chi Rho applique in bronze from a Germanic settlement in Neerharen (Belgium), 375-450 AD, Gallo-Roman Museum (Tongeren)
- Vingerring met christogram in zilver, 300 tot 400 NC, vindplaats- Tongeren, noordoostgrafveld, Jaminéstraat, 1982, zone A, graf 21, collectie Gallo-Romeins Museum Tongeren, 82.H.1.jpg
Silver ring with Chi Rho symbol found at a Christian burial site in Late Roman Tongeren (Belgium), 4th century AD, Gallo-Roman Museum (Tongeren)
- ChristianPendantMaria398-407.JPG
Christian pendant of Maria (398–407), wife of the Emperor Honorius (r. 395–423), with text in the shape of a Chi-Rho, Louvre.
- Hinton St Mary.jpg
Roman Christian mosaic with Chi-Rho, Hinton St. Mary, England.
- Lullingstone paintings2.jpg
Reconstruction of Chi-Rho fresco from Roman villa at Lullingstone, including Alpha and Omega.
- SarcophagusSoissonFrance6thCentury.jpg
Sarcophagus with Chi-Rho symbol and Alpha and Omega, 6th century, Soissons, France
- KellsFol034rChiRhoMonogram.jpg
Folio 34r of the Book of Kells is the Chi Rho page, expanding the first two letters of the word Christ.
- ‘Majestas Domini’ uit het Evangeliarium van Godescalc.jpg
Sequential "XPS" in the Carolingian Godescalc Evangelistary.
- Attic San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07 n1.jpg
Chi-Rho on the roof of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Rome.
- BentoXVI-44-11052007.jpg
Chi-Rho and Alpha and Omega on a modern Catholic altar.
- Otr-ymca-detail.jpg
Chi-Rho on YMCA building, Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
- Ceremony of consecration of the Main temple 22.jpg
Chi-Rho and Alpha and Omega in the Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces
- Basilica of the Annunciation Nazareth 290314 06.jpg
A Chi Rho with the Alpha and Omega at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.
- Nis Coat of Arms.png
Chi-Rho symbol can be seen on the coat of arms of Niš, city in Serbia and the birthplace of Constantine the Great
See alsoEdit
- Alpha and Omega
- Chi Rho (disambiguation)
- Christian symbolism
- Christogram
- Ichthys
- Labarum
- Merchant's mark
- Kyrios
- Xmas
ReferencesEdit
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External linksEdit
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