Tattoo Rebels?

Tattoos have long thought to be the province of the rebellious and young but they are also increasingly popular amongst Christians as a statement of their faith or even in memory of a loved one. This appears to be a relatively recent phenomenon but the popularity of the tat is certainly increasing.

The type of tattoo is one of personal choice but there are many from which to choose. One of the most common is that of Jesus but crosses, angels, rosaries and hands clasped in prayer are also popular. Some knights of the Crusade period actually had a tattoo of a small cross on their hands which indicated their desire for a decent Christian burial should the need arise!
In common with most religious icons, Christian tattoos utilize symbolism in their design and some of the most popular are;
•    A Cross – obviously a reference to the crucifixion
•    A Lily – representing immortality
•    A Phoenix – this is the mythical bird which represents a rising or resurrection
•    A Shepherd – thought to represent Jesus and his role as a guiding light in the life of a Christian
•    A Palm Leaf – Jesus was worshipped as he entered Jerusalem before he was crucified
•    A Candle – a symbol for the light of the world or a follower of Jesus
•    A Dove – representing the Holy Trinity

Most Christians who get a Tattoo remain rightfully proud of their adornment but don’t seek to show it off. For this reason they are normally positioned on the more respectful parts of the body where they can easily be either covered or seen as the owner prefers.

The size of such tattoos are invariably smaller than those seen on the normal tattoo customer, Christians see pride as one of the deadly sins and therefore do not seek attention for their tat but are certainly proud of their faith and compliance with the ten commandments.