Fish as symbol of Christianity Poster

The Christian fish symbol is usually just two simple curved lines. Modern looking and sleek, often seen on car bumpers, it gives many people the impression that it's a new symbol. In fact, its history goes back even further than the cross as a symbol used by Christians. As early as the 2nd century Titus Flavius Clemens (St. Clement of Alexandria), suggested that Christians identify themselves with a seal depicting a fish or dove (Paedagogus, III, xi. See also Dove Cross.) Even before that time, inscriptions on monuments suggest that the fish symbol was familiar to Christians. Why the fish and not the cross? Early Christians needed no reminder of how Jesus died; they saw it in its most hideous form all too frequently. Even in the fish symbol, we can see an X-shapped cross in the tail. (X happens to be the Greek symbol Chi, which is the first letter of 'Christ' in Greek. See Chi Rho) As in the miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, the fish is a symbol of baptism and as such, an appropriate symbol for Christians to adopt. Fish swim in deep water yet do not drown; indeed, they need to be immersed in water in order to survive. Similarly for us to survive spiritually, we need to be baptized by immersion into the waters of Christ's love; the love he showed by dying on the cross.