| u mentions that you might want to get a Christian | | | | flames, and sometimes the beams of the cross will |
| cross tattoos to a devout audience, you may have | | | | be made of nails or spikes. |
| someone protests that the book of Leviticus clearly | | | | Butterflies, as a symbol of the Resurrection of Jesus, |
| states that “Ye shall not make any cuttings in | | | | and of the rebirth of sinners, are often incorporated |
| your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon | | | | into with Christian cross tattoos. If you’re |
| you: I am the LORD.” | | | | patriotic, why not combine the Christian cross tattoo |
| Yet there are some Biblical scholars who believe that | | | | with the flags of your country? The cross against a |
| this passage is actually referring to a practice | | | | background of the Stars and Stripes is popular in the |
| belonging to pagans that time, in which they would | | | | Bible Belt of the US. |
| carve images of their idols on their bodies at funerals, | | | | Some Christian cross tattoo designs have their roots |
| to make atonement for themselves and the dead. | | | | in very early evangelization. A strategy the early |
| Because you, or any Christian who decides to get a | | | | Christians used in spreading their faith was to adapt |
| tattoo is not doing it to find favor with a pagan idol, | | | | its symbols to those of the cultures whose people |
| the New Testament has no such restrictions. And | | | | they were trying to convert. |
| Christian tattoos have indeed become an extremely | | | | One legend has it that when St. Patrick came from |
| popular way for many young Christian to both make | | | | Wales to Ireland and saw the Druidic stones inscribed |
| a public statement about their faith, and display some | | | | with the circular designed which represented the |
| of the most meaningful Christian icons. | | | | Druid’s moon goddess; he simply bisected the |
| Praying Hands, chalices, Jesus himself, the Sacred | | | | circle with a Christian cross. In doing so, he laid the |
| Heart, angels, Mary, the Apostles, and the Holy Spirit | | | | groundwork for one of the most beautiful of all the |
| are all images which have been adapted into striking | | | | Christian cross tattoos, the Celtic cross. |
| tattoos. | | | | Celtic Christian cross tattoos, because the ancient |
| But the Christian tattoo which is far and away the | | | | Celts believed that their souls were simply threads of |
| most popular is the Christian Cross. The Cross has | | | | a divine fabric to which they would return after |
| become the universal sign of the Christian faith, and | | | | death, has elaborate knots of |
| tattoo artists have invented many striking designs to | | | | “plaitwork,” symbolizing those threads. |
| incorporate into their Christian cross tattoos. | | | | They may also contain keys, leaves, spirals, and |
| While some of the more intricate Christian cross | | | | animal figures, often borrowed from the ancient |
| tattoos actually show a figure of Jesus, many of | | | | decorative script with which monks would embellish |
| them have an empty cross, sometimes with a | | | | the pages of Scripture they spent their lives copying. |
| remarkably life-like wood grain. | | | | No matter what Christian cross tattoo you choose, |
| The cross may be adorned with a crown of thorns, | | | | you will be doing your part to spread the Good |
| or a reference to a passage from Scripture. | | | | News! |
| Sometimes the crosses will have a background of | | | | |