What are the Symbols and Meanings Behind Christian Jewelry?

 

American designer Rachel Zoe said, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” A part of a person’s style is what jewelry they wear. For many of us, wearing jewelry is just something we do. We put on earrings, rings or necklaces out of habit. We simply like how it looks. We may have our favorite pieces, or we might love to try new styles and colors.

Jewelry can make us feel beautiful and put together, but it also “talks” by sending a message to others. It has a way of showing who we are. When you wear a necklace that says “best mom ever” it tells everyone “I’m a mom.” When you wear a Christian piece of a jewelry, it’s a way of saying “I’m Christian, and I’m not ashamed of my beliefs." Heart jewelry tends to represent affection, devotion, enduring love and everlasting romance.

The power of symbolism in religious jewelry has endured through history. Many religious denominations encourage using sacred symbols in the form of personal jewelry. It is used as an outward sign of faith. The message you send to others with your jewelry can be the beginning of a conversation. When you see someone else with a cross necklace or Ichthys fish, it can start a conversation of “Hey, me too.” Or it can even be a message to someone who isn’t Christian. Someone who is searching and questioning can see the Christian jewelry you wear and know you are a person they can talk with.

Jewelry can talk to others, true, but it also can talk to you. Jewelry can be a reminder throughout the day and every day. A simple touch or look in the mirror can remind you why you chose that piece to wear today. Different pieces can be worn to symbolize different messages such as security, wisdom, elegance and prosperity. It can also make a woman feel confident and beautiful. A locket that holds ashes can remind you of the love of a loved one. A cross can remind you of God’s unconditional love for you and can help you be a personal witness to others. A mustard seed can remind you to live out your faith, even if it’s small.

Jewelry can also be a great gift. Whether it’s a heart necklace on a birthday, a star for your rising star’s graduation, or a dove for Mother’s Day, there are lots of reasons to give beautiful jewelry as a gift. Christian jewelry has even more reasons to give; baptisms, Christmas, Easter, confirmation, or other ways of entering the church. All of these are great occasions to show your loved one that you care.

Whether it’s for you or someone you love, jewelry sends a message to the wearer and all who see it. There are many different kinds of jewelry with symbolism and deep meaning. Here are some examples of things that simple jewelry can symbolize that we offer at Blessed Be Boutique.

 

The Meaning Behind Cross Jewelry

Crosses are the most popular piece of jewelry among Christians. They are a powerful symbol of the Christian faith that represents God’s love, salvation through atonement, and selfless sacrifice through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.  Crosses are typically worn as pendants or charms, but this simple symbol can easily be worn on rings, earrings, bracelets, and even cufflinks. Empty crosses, which are used more by Protestant churches, are much different from crucifixes, which depict Jesus’ body on the cross. Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, and they are pretty much exclusive to wearing a crucifix. An empty cross that doesn’t have Jesus on it, focuses on the hope of the resurrection after His death rather than the suffering He endured during His sacrifice. Another popular cross variation is a Celtic Cross. Because of its history and geographical origin, it is often a representative of the Catholic faith. The Celtic Cross is one of the most revered symbols of Ireland and the Irish culture.

With such a great variety of designs, cross jewelry has come to be extremely personal. Most people look for a piece that will represent them and their own personal story of faith. Others wear crosses because of who gave it to them, or what occasion was happening when they received it. They feel connected to both the cross and the giver.  If you are a Christian, then you may wear a cross as a physical proclamation of your faith that will open up conversations with others, or it may make you feel safe and comforted during the challenges in your life.

 

What Do Hearts in Jewelry Mean?

Hearts represent love: romantic love, familial love, love between friends and self-love. That makes heart jewelry the perfect gift for yourself or someone else you love. The heart is the core of the human anatomy, it’s what keeps you alive by pumping blood throughout your body. So if you donate blood, you are literally giving away a part of you to someone else. Romantically, giving your heart to someone else means you are offering yourself to the person that you love.

When you give heart-inspired jewelry, you are giving that person a piece of your heart, and when they wear it, they will be reminded of your love and the love that you share.

 

 

Anchors Are More Than a Nautical Symbol

An anchor isn’t just for sailors and nautical folk. An anchor is a symbol of hope, commitment and security. Anchors give off feelings of stability, strength, safety and hope. Christians use the anchor as a symbol of hope. During Roman persecution, the symbol of Christianity was not the cross, it was the anchor. Many tombstones and epitaphs during the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries included the anchor symbol to indicate that the buried had died “in Christ.” It was a testimony by Christians of their belief in the promise of the resurrection from the dead. An anchor is the perfect reminder that Jesus is our anchor. Many missionaries wear an anchor cross as a reminder that their work should always be anchored in faith, hope and love.

 

Angel Meanings and Symbolism

Throughout the Bible, angels have been messengers, guides and caregivers. It was angels who told the shepherds of Jesus’ birth. In the book of Hebrews, it says that angels are sent to guide those to salvation. Angels were caregivers to Jesus after his forty days of temptation in the wilderness. When given as a gift, angels remind your friends and loved ones how much you care about them, and will be a constant reminder of their faith.

Angels are often depicted with wings on their back, a halo, robes and various forms of glowing light. Angel Wing jewelry is becoming a more popular trend because of its simple elegance, yet it is filled with a powerful meaning of love, compassion and protectiveness. Many who wear it are reminded of a loved one who is looking over them, offering protection to them.

 

Butterfly Symbolism and Meaning

Butterflies are a powerful representation of life. They are a beautifully mysterious symbol of spiritual rebirth, transformation, change, hope, resurrection and life. Their short, yet impressive life is the perfect reminder of spiritual transformation. Butterflies transform themselves from a caterpillar who has to fight its way out of a chrysalis shell, into a whole new world.  On our journey through life, we all encounter turns and events that cause us to have to, and want to change. Behaviors that seemed fine when we were “caterpillars” are no longer something we want to do. We don’t want to live the way we used to. We learn to accept the change in our lives, just like the butterfly. We let go of the old, and find our true inner self. We expand our awareness, spread our wings and move forward with joy, finding our new place in life.

Give a gift of a butterfly to someone you love who needs a reminder that even in times that seem lifeless and dark there is hope for growth and transformation. Abundant life can come even from situations that seem lifeless.

 

Lessons from Dandelions

Dandelions can be seen in most yards and fields in early spring. Most people are not a fan of dandelions in their perfectly manicured lawns. They will grow just about anywhere, and are very hard to get rid of. Small children pick bouquets of the yellow flowers to give as gifts. As they mature, they turn white and with the gentle wind, their seeds are blown through the air to land wherever they wish. God gave the dandelion the tools it would need to spread and grow in new places.

Dandelion folklore tells us that if we make a wish and blow all the seeds off of the fluffiest dandelion in one breath, the wind will carry our hopes and dreams for that wish to wherever magic happens and our wish will come true!  In addition to granting wishes, many people believe that dandelion seeds will carry your thoughts and prayers to loved ones when you blow them into the air.

Maybe we Christians should become more like dandelions. As we share the word of God to others, we will pop up and grow in different places, sharing His love and our testimony with others and being helpful, just like Jesus. Dandelion seed jewelry can be the perfect reminder of the importance of sharing God’s word with others.

 

Holy Spirit Dove Symbolism

Doves have a beautiful symbolism of peace and purity in the Bible. The dove is also a symbol of the Holy Spirit which is a gift from God the Father, to help us get through our daily lives. God has used doves to communicate His presence, security and the promise of hope. It was a dove that gave the good news of dry land to Noah in the ark. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit manifested itself in the form of a dove and came down and rested on Jesus during His baptism.

Dove jewelry is an elegant way to bring God’s continual presence in mind and His promise of guaranteed hope every time you wear it. Doves are the perfect reminder that we have reason to rejoice.

 

What is an Ichthys or Ichthus?

The Ichthys, or Jesus fish, was used by early Christians facing persecution as an “underground” method for identifying their faith. They were being persecuted and had to hide their faith in Christ, so they became quite good at using symbols. In Greek the initials for Jesus Christ, Son of God, and Savior spell out the word Ichthys, and in Greek the word Ichthys means fish. This is also a great reminder of Jesus calling Simon and Andrew to become “fishers of men.” Christ was Ichthys, the fish, the fisher of men, and Christians were little fishes. Wearing an Ichthys is the perfect way to show others that your faith is in Christ. Giving one to loved ones will allow them to share their faith as well.

 

What Does a Leaf or Tree of Life Symbolize?

Leaves can symbolize the beauty of nature, growth and life. When God created the universe, we learn from Genesis that he placed trees in the middle of the garden. Leaves remind us that there is a creator. There were healing powers in the leaves of the Tree of Life.  Leaves have been used for centuries for healing purposes. A leaf is simple, yet highly complex in design and function. It converts sunlight to food, and is part of an amazing ecological system that is able to sustain, renew and even repair itself. Leaves also remind us that change is inevitable. Leaves change with the seasons. The Tree of Life reminds of Rebirth. It teach us that all living things must die, but life continues. It represents a fresh start, a new leaf turned over. Trees also remind us about our connection to family and ancestors. Family trees symbolize the many family links to various people through the generations.

Wearing leaf jewelry can be a great reminder of transformation, but also they can symbolize fertility and growth.

 

The Significance of a Mustard Seed

The mustard seed is mentioned several times in the Bible as a symbol of faith. Jesus tells us that if you have faith as small as a mustard seed then you can move mountains. A tiny seed, one of the most insignificant seeds, once planted, can grow into a great shade-providing plant in a few short months. The same can be said of Faith. Humble beginnings, and a bit of faith, it can grow into full-fledged devotion, spreading blessings to anyone you come in contact with.  Jesus also compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed because it starts out so small and yet grows so big.

A tiny mustard seed is usually encased in a heart-shaped pendant for wearing as jewelry. It’s the perfect reminder that even a very small amount of faith, can move mountains.

 

 

Praying Hands Symbolism

Praying hands reminds us of the power of prayer in Christianity.  When we fold our hands in prayer, we are honoring and respecting God while we are communicating with Him. The physical ritual of actually putting your hands together in prayer can often help calm a busy mind to focus on God. It can strengthen your connection with God. Praying hands symbolize faith, devotion, sincerity, repentance, respect and humility.

Wearing jewelry that has praying hand charms on it helps share your faith and show your dedication to God.

 

The Meaning of Star Jewelry

God determined the number of stars that were placed in the sky on the Fourth day of creation. We only have to look into the night sky, filled with stars, to feel the majesty of God. His creation of the stars is beyond our comprehension. Stars have been symbolic of divine guidance and protection. The story of the Star of Bethlehem, or the Christmas Star, tells us that a bright star appeared in the eastern sky when Jesus was born, and was seen by a group of wise men. The Star of David is a powerful protection symbol. Stars have been used for navigation for as long as they’ve been in existence, whether that is spiritually or directionally. They are a constant reminder that there is something much bigger than us.

Star jewelry can remind you of God and His creation, of Jesus’ birth, or that He is the Light of the World! Stars can also be given as a gift to someone starting a new chapter in their life, as a symbol of success and hope or as a way to make someone feel extra special.

 

Jewelry is a great way to say something without saying a word. Whether that communication is to others or a reminder for yourself, different types of jewelry and what it symbolizes sends a message. So next time you’re buying something either for yourself or as a gift, think about all the symbolism that comes with it and decide: What do you want to say?

 

Shop for all Your Christian Jewelry at Blessed Be Boutique

You can find all of your favorite Christian jewelry pieces at Blessed Be Boutique. Our mission is to provide quality Christian and inspirational jewelry that allows you to express your faith in Jesus Christ while wearing our beautiful, meaningful pieces of jewelry. 

Our mission is to provide quality Christian and inspirational jewelry that allows you to express your faith in Jesus Christ while wearing our beautiful, meaningful pieces of jewelry. 

Have a blessed day!