Section 690

(1) For the name of C'/iri'it. The monogram used in the primitive Church is communicated to us by the an- cient ecclesiastical writers, and also by the numerous Christian monuments of that period which are still ex- tant. We lind it generally formed by one of the two combinations of the letters XP, the 1' being set inside of the X, which latter is cither an erect X or reversed, giving the forms ^ and f. The first is the form de- scribed by Eusebius (Vita Co)is(ant. i, 31) and Paulhius of Nola (Poem, xix, de Felic. Nat. xi, v. Orig. 0pp. ed. Muret. p. 481) ; the other is described by Lactantius {De 7iwrt. persecut. c. 44), M we can hardly make out his expression concerning the truiiseersa X, the point of which is bent, to signify anything else than the +, the upright part of which is made into a 1'. These two forms give rise to two others, by merely turning the P the other way, thus, ^ and •J. There are also in- stances of other less usual combinations. For a descrip- tion of all the various forms, see, besides the special works on the monograms of Christ, jNIamachi, Oriff. et ant'tq. Christ, liii, G2 sq. ; Jlunter, Sinnbilder, pt. v, p. 34- 37; V>\i\ron, Ironofjr.Chret. ^.AOl sq.; Letronne, /:,>«»«. arvheol. de deux quest, siir la croix ansee Erpjpt. {Mem. de VA cad. dts Inscript. vol. xvi, pt. ii, p. 284) ; Twining, Sijmhols and Emblems, pt. i, iii, iv. If we now inquire into the further significance of these two forms of the monogram, in order to see whether it contain some further meaning of importance, m'C must first consider whether it is indeed always a distinctive mark of Chris- tian monuments. Here we find that the form J is ex- clusively used by Christians, and is the sign of the name of Christ. Yet it must be observed that it closely re- sembles the Egyptian hooped cross, ^, the symbol of life, which is often represented in the band of the Egyp- tian deities, and then, in consequence of little irregular- ities on both sides, the two monograms happen some- times to be exactly alike ; even the Egyptian Christians sometimes used the Egyptian sign for that of the cross (see Letronne, Exam, urcheol. in Memoires de FA cad. des Inscript. xvi, 285 sq.). The other form, ^, a com- bination of XP, is essentially of heathen origin. We find it on (ireek money greatly anterior to Christ, name- ly, on the Attic tetradrachma (Eckhel, Doclr. numm. ii, 210), as also on the coins of Ptolcmajus, a specimen of which, with the head of Zeus Ammon on the one side, and on the other an eagle holding the monogram ^^ in his claws, is to be seen in the collection of coins at Berlin (No. 428). It is also found in an inscription on a monument erected to Isis, in Egypt, in the year B.C. 137-8 (see Biickh, Corp. Inscr. Gr. n. 4713, b). At the same time such heathen monuments are very scarce; and where the sign is found on tombs, it may generally be taken fur granted that it is there as the Christian emblem. In afier-timcs the signification of this sign was altered, especially among the Greek writers, where wc seldom find ^ used to designate Christ. It most generally stands for Xf)vuua-o^inQ, and in the construc- tion lloXv ]\o\vxpovio^ ; it is also used as an abbrevi- ation for xpvaeov (see IMontfaucon, Paleogr. Gr. p. 344). On the otlier hand, in the (Jreek calendar, since the 11th century, -^ iraaxa is used for XpiaTiavCjv ira- a\a, in op])ositi(in to vo/tiKoi/ Trdaya (see Piper, Karl's des Gmssiu Kalemlarium v. Oshrla/il, j). 130 sq.). It has long l)ecn a much coiUr<>v< rted point to know whether this monogram were introduced only by the emperor Constant ine, or whether it were in use anterior to his reign. It seems, however, jiretty nnich established that the monuments which have been referred to in or- der to prove its greater antiquity are either spurious or doubtful (see Mamachi, Orif/. et aiiliq. Christ, c. i, p. tA, n. 3); and the oldest monument of ascertained date which bears it is a grave-stone at Home of the year