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Icthus

1910 New Catholic Dictionary

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An ancient Christian symbol of Our Saviour. In art it often resembles a dolphin. The Greek word for fish is ichthus, spelt in Greek with five letters only: I-CH-TH-U-S. These form what is called an acrostic, being the initial letters of Iesous CHristos, THeou Uios, Soter (Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour). The fish is also a symbol of Christians in general, typified by the miraculous draught of fishes mentioned in Saint John's Gospel, 9, and is thus emblematic of the vocation of the Apostles, the "fishers of men." It is also one of the symbols for

• Saint Andrew the Apostle because of his profession
• Saint Francis of Assisi
• Saint Simon the Apostle