Aleteia logoAleteia logoAleteia
Monday 23 December |
Saint of the Day: St. John of Kanty
Aleteia logo
Spirituality
separateurCreated with Sketch.

5 Christian symbols on gravestones and their meaning

CEMETERY,TOMBSTONE

Shutterstock

Philip Kosloski - published on 11/05/18

The next time you visit a cemetery, look for these symbols with ancient Christian symbolism.

Help Aleteia continue its mission by making a tax-deductible donation. In this way, Aleteia's future will be yours as well.

Donate with just 3 clicks

*Your donation is tax deductible!

When visiting a cemetery, especially one that has a rich history behind it, you will likely encounter various symbols etched on each gravestone. Some are obvious or related to the specific person buried there, but others are more general and related to Christian concepts.

To help you decipher these symbols, here are five of the most common and their Christian meaning.


SHIPS IN THE OCEAN
Read more:
Ships in art: Symbols of the Church and our pilgrimage to heaven


FISH,BREAD,
Read more:
7 Catholic symbols from the early Church that we still use today

Tags:
ArtDeath
Aleteia exists thanks to your donations

Help us to continue our mission of sharing Christian news and inspiring stories. Please make a donation today! Take advantage of the end of the year to get a tax deduction for 2024.

2025-Aleteia-Pilgrimage-300×250-1.png
Daily prayer
And today we celebrate...




Top 10
See More
Newsletter
Get Aleteia delivered to your inbox. Subscribe here.