(2) For the name of Jesus Christ we have, first, in Greek, the monogram IC XC. This is the usual abbre- viation of the two names found in the oldest MSS. of the N. T., as in the Codex A lexandrinus of the 5th and the Claromontanus of the 6th century, and which is re- tained in the Minuskel MSS. It appears also on mon- uments, namelv, in the inscription — \- — , found in the
ni|ka
catacombs of Naples, in a niche, at the place of an old well (Pellicia, De eccles. Christ, polit. ii, 414, ed. Bonn ; Bellermann, Ueber d. dltesteii christHchen Begrabniss- stdtteii, p. 81), and is still used in the Greek Church, namely, on the bottom of the vases used for commu- nion (Goar, jEucholof/. p. 99). In sculptures and carv- ings, we tind this monogram accompanying the figure of Christ: as in the Byzantine coin, first under J. Zi- misces (969-975), whence it remained in use until the downfall of the Greek empire. There is yet extant a fine gold medal of the last emperor, Constantine XIV Palfeologus, on the reverse of which is the figure of Christ standing, with the inscription IC XC (a speci- men of it is to be seen in the imperial collection of coins at Vienna) (see Eckhel, Doctr. nitmm. viii, 273). It is also found on ancient Greek monuments, and on the an- cient doors of the church of St. Paul at Rome of the year 1070. Byzantine paintings in which it is repre- sented are to be found in the royal gallery of Berlin (Nos. 1044, 1048). The introduction of this monogram into the Latin Church is especially remarkable. The ancient church of St. Peter at Rome contained mosaics of the time of Innocent III, which represented Christ enthroned between the apostles Peter and Paul, with the inscription IC XC (see the Ecanr;. Kalender for 1851, p. 50). The same is found in the still extant mosaic of Philip Dusuti of 1300, in the church of S. Maria Mag- giore at Rome (Valentini, Basil. Liber, pi. ciii). There are also numerous easel pictures of Italian origin of the 14th and loth centuries, which contain the likeness of Christ, together with this monogram, as, for instance,
the crucifixion of Taddeo Gaddi, of 1334, in the royal gallery at Berlin, No. 1080, and an apparition of Christ to Magdalena after his resurrection, by Donatus Bizama- nus, in the Christian Museum at the Vatican (D'Agin- court, Peint. pi. xcii). Secondly, we have in Latin the monogram IHS XPS. The Latin Church has also a special abbreviation of both names, which we find in the oldest Latin MS. copies of the Bible ; for instance, in the Greek and Latin Codex Claromontanus. It is oc- casionally preserved in the Minuskel MSS., as in the Sacramentarium of Gellone at Paris, in the 8th century, where the Gospel of Matthew begins with the words "Liber generationis ihu xpi" (fac-simile in Silvestre, Paleofjr. t. iii). This mode of writing gave rise to nu- merous researches in the French Church in the "9th century. Amalarius, from ]\Ietz, author of the book De Officiis Ecclesiastkis, asks, in a letter to Jeremiah, arch- bishop of Sens, in the year 827, to know why the name of Jesus is written with an aspirate, an H, and expresses the opinion that, according to the Greek, it should be written with IH, and C or S (D'Achery, Sjncilecf. iii, 330) ; to which the other answers that it is not an aspi- rate, but a Greek H. He asked also bishop Jonas whether it were more correct to write IIIC or IHS, and was answered that the latter form was preferable, the first two letters being taken from the Greek and the last from the Latin, as had been done with the name Christ, XPS. The formula IhS XPS (and IhS XIS) REX REGNANTIVM occurs on Byzantine coins, according to the example of Justinian II, from Basilius Macedo (De Saulcy, Essai de classijicat. des suites monet. Byzan- tine, pi. xix, 1), down to Romanus IV Diogenes (1068- 1071) ; and it is only there that the other monogram, IC XC, remained in use. In the West, we find the monogram IHS XPS in use at a very early period, both in inscriptions, carvings, and paintings, as, for instance, miniatures in the Carolinian MSS., and in pictures of the Middle Ages.
(3) For the name of Jesus alone, we find in Greek the monogram IH. It is the first form of which we have any knowledge, and occurs as early as in the Epistle of Barnabas (q. v.), e. g., where the number 318 of the men circumcised by Abraham (resulting from a com- parison between Gen. xvii, 23 and xiv, 14) is found to be a sign of the name of Jesus and of the cross, for 318 is written with Greek letters, irir . This meaning was generally received, as also by the Latin Church (Cote- ler). This abbreviation, however, occurs but seldom on the more ancient monuments. In the West, the mon- ogram IHS (q. V.) obtained great popularity in the Mid- dle Ages through the preaching of Bernard of Sienna, who in divers cities, and especially at Viterbo, in 1427, was in the habit of exhibiting a tablet on which that monogram was painted in golden letters, surrounded by a halo of golden rays, and to which he directed their de- votions. He was accused of innovation indeed, but suc- ceeded in satisfying pope Martin V (Wadding, A nnal. mi- nor.'V.\. a. 1427, p. 183 sq.). This monogram, to which the cross is sometimes added, remained in use in small Latin letters, and sometimes in Gothic. Thus, in the picture of the adoration of the three kings, by Raphael, in the royal gallery at Berlin, we find at the upper edge of a golden sun, written in golden letters, which, however, must not be imderstood, as , some have made it out, to signifj' in hoc sicpio. The Jesuits also appropriated that monogram to their use. On the election of the first general of the order, in 1541, which resulted in the elevation of Ignatius, tlie latter had headed his vote with the name IHS, and the sign ihs was engraved on his seal, the same with which the elec- tion of the generals since Jacob Laynez has always been sealed {Acta Sanct. d. xxxi, mens. Jul. t. vii, p. 532 a). See, besides the authorities already referred to; Herzog, Real-EncyUopddie, ix, 738 sq. ; Munter, SinnMlder u.