I1 - Jerusalem Cross

Tracy Sands

IHS is a monogram for Christ that dates back to the first century.  These are the first three letters of the word for Jesus in Greek, Ihsus.

The Jerusalem cross (in red) is a Greek cross because it has arms of equal length. The four smaller crosses represent the four gospels.  The Latin cross, the most popular one today, has the shorter cross bar raised above the center.  

The eye of God is the “all seeing eye”.  God sees, knows, and loves us.  (1 John 3:20, Psalm 33:18)

This is also a monstrance which holds the body of Christ.

Fleur de lis –French for “flower of the lily”. (At the three points of this cross) It is not an actual flower but a symbol of the Trinity because of its three petals.  It also represents The Virgin Mary.

I1 - Jerusalem Cross