IHC? IHS? What’s the difference???
The Christogram “IHC” and “IHS” are essentially the same, originating from the Greek name of Jesus, which is “??????” (I?sous). The confusion or variation between “IHC” and “IHS” arises from the way the Greek letter sigma (?) was historically written. In Greek, the sigma at the end of a word is represented by the letter “?,” but in the middle of a word, it can look more like the Latin “C” when transcribed or stylized, particularly in medieval and Renaissance texts and art.
Here’s how the two forms relate:IHS: Derived directly from the first three letters of Jesus’ name in Greek—iota (?), eta (?), and sigma (?). It’s a more straightforward transcription.IHC: Also derived from the same three Greek letters. However, the sigma (?) is sometimes represented as “C,”, especially in Western Christian tradition where Greek script was adapted into Latin contexts.
Christian art and symbolism use both “IHC” and “IHS” to reference Jesus Christ, with no difference in their underlying meaning. They adorn churches, vestments, and religious artifacts, symbolizing devotion and reverence for our King.
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