Everyone knows it: the fish sticker on the tailgate of a car. But what is the meaning of the symbol and what Christian message does it convey?
Munich – They used to be found quite often on the tailgates of cars: stickers bearing, for example, the emblem of your favorite football club, the slogan “Nuclear power? No thanks” or possibly also the words “I’ll brake for …”. Today, the use of stickers is less common. Nevertheless, there are some mandatory stickers, such as the blue stickers on rental vehicles. Of course, some car owners continue to choose to decorate their vehicles voluntarily – such as with a subtle fish symbol on the trunk lid, formed from two curved lines. Anyone who now assumes that the vehicle owner is a passionate recreational angler is completely wrong.
How the fish sticker conveys religious messages on cars
In this context, the fish actually has a religious significance. In Greek, fish is ICHTHYS labeled and with the Greek letters ΙΧΘΥΣ shown. Each of these letters carries a special meaning and constitutes a kind of compact creed, usually interpreted as follows:
- I: Iēsoûs—Jesus
- Χ: Christós – Christ / the anointed
- Θ: theoû—of God
- Υ: Hyiós—son
- Σ: Sōtér – Savior / Redeemer
The fish symbol used to be considered a secret identification symbol among Christians
However, the ICHTYS sign is not just any fish representation, but consists of two curved lines that cross just before the caudal fin. There are reports that this symbol was used by the early Christians as a identifying and secret symbol: one person drew an arc in the sand and the other completed the sign with the second arc to reveal himself as a Christian. However, there is no historical evidence to confirm this tradition.
Fish symbol was rediscovered in the 1970’s and used as a car decal ever since
The ICHTYS symbol was rediscovered in the 1970s and became a sought-after car sticker for devout Christians. Thus, the symbol has the character of a secret sign again today – because many people are not or no longer aware of its meaning.
If someone wants to attach a sticker to their vehicle, caution is advised: Because there are areas on the car where attaching stickers is not allowed. If one of the stickers no longer suits you, it can be removed with a few simple tools. A hair dryer and a plastic scraper can help with this. Nevertheless, you should proceed carefully so as not to damage the car paint.
The help of machine assistance was used for this article, which was written by the editor. The article was carefully checked by editor Johannes Nuß before publication.
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