Religion & Belief
Crosses, monograms and belief emblems that require careful denominational and cultural context.
How to use this collection
Crosses, monograms and belief emblems that require careful denominational and cultural context. The collection is organized as an identification aid, not a universal codebook. Compare the full design and verify the result with inscription, date and local records.
Adinkra Nyame Biribi Wo Soro
hope and reliance on God within the Adinkra tradition represented at the African Burial Ground memorial
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Adinkra Sankofa
returning to retrieve valuable knowledge from the past; context should be tied to the specific memorial tradition
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Alpha and Omega
God or Christ as beginning and end, using the first and last Greek letters
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Angel Moroni
Latter-day Saint identity when the trumpet-bearing figure matches the recognized emblem
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Buddhist Lotus
purity and awakening arising from difficult conditions
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Calvary Cross
Christian faith; the stepped base is often read as faith, hope and charity
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Candle and Cross
Christian prayer, the light of faith and remembrance
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Celtic Cross
Christian faith in a ringed cross form associated with Celtic revival and regional identity
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Chi-Rho
an early Christian monogram formed from the Greek letters chi and rho for Christ
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Crescent and Star
Islamic identity in many modern contexts, though the motif is not universal across Islamic history
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Cross Bottony
a Christian cross with trefoil-like ends, often connected with Trinity symbolism
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Cross Fleury
a flower-ended Christian cross associated with flourishing faith and Gothic revival ornament
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Cross Moline
a Christian or heraldic cross with split, curved ends
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Cross Pattée
a broad-ended cross used in Christian, military, heraldic and fraternal settings
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Cross Potent
a cross whose arms end in small crossbars; Christian and heraldic usage
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Crown of Thorns
Christ's Passion, suffering, sacrifice and redemption
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Crucifix
Christian devotion centered on Christ's crucifixion; especially common in Catholic contexts
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Dharma Wheel
Buddhist teaching, the Noble Eightfold Path and the turning of the Dharma
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Eastern Orthodox Cross
Orthodox Christian faith; usually distinguished by an upper title bar and lower slanted footrest
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Eye of Providence
divine watchfulness, providence, Trinity symbolism or Masonic context when paired with other emblems
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Faravahar
Zoroastrian identity and ethical-spiritual symbolism; interpretations vary
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Flaming Chalice
Unitarian Universalist identity, conscience, community and religious freedom
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Greek Cross
Christian faith represented by four arms of equal length
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IHS Monogram
a Christogram derived from the name of Jesus; later Latin expansions are devotional interpretations
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Immaculate Heart
Catholic devotion associated with Mary, often shown pierced and surrounded by flowers
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Jerusalem Cross
Christian pilgrimage, the Holy Land and five-cross symbolism
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Khanda
Sikh identity, divine knowledge and the relationship of spiritual and temporal responsibility
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Latin Cross
Christian faith, Christ's crucifixion and hope of resurrection
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Levite Pitcher
probable Levite lineage when used on a Jewish gravestone
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Maltese Cross
Christian, chivalric, fire-service or organizational identity; the surrounding context is essential
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Medicine Wheel
Indigenous spiritual identity or cultural symbolism; colors, directions and community context vary
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Menorah
Jewish faith, divine presence and communal identity; branch count and setting matter
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Native American Church Tipi
Native American Church identity on authorized U.S. veterans markers
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Nine-Pointed Star
Bahá’í identity and the symbolic importance of nine
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Om Symbol
sacred sound and Hindu spiritual identity; also used in other Indian religious traditions
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Open Bible and Cross
Christian scripture and faith; sometimes ministry or teaching
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Papal Cross
Roman Catholic papal or ecclesiastical symbolism with three horizontal bars
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Patriarchal Cross
Christian ecclesiastical symbolism with two horizontal bars
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Pentagram
a five-pointed star with meanings that include protection, Christian wounds, Wiccan identity and other traditions; orientation…
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Rosary
Catholic prayer, devotion to Mary and a life associated with repeated prayer
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Sacred Heart
Christ's love, sacrifice and Catholic devotion, often shown with flame, cross and thorns
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St Andrew's Cross
an X-shaped Christian cross associated with St. Andrew and Scottish identity
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Star of David
Jewish identity and faith; also called Magen David
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Tablets of the Law
the Ten Commandments, Jewish or Christian scripture and divine law
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Tau Cross
Christian cross shaped like the letter T, associated with Franciscan and older biblical traditions
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Torah Scroll
Jewish learning, scripture, scholarship or devotion
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Trefoil
the Trinity or a decorative three-lobed form
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Triquetra
threefold unity, commonly the Christian Trinity, though the form has broader historical uses
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Yin-Yang
complementary forces, balance and Daoist-associated identity
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