Devotional Tattoo

[HereticalTheist]

http://s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/buphiloman/?action=view&current=Photoon2010-04-12at1711.jpg

I’ve seen a lot of comments on various threads here about the moral permissibility of tattoos. I think they can be wonderful acts of devotion. I recently got my first tattoo (in my mid thirties), as an act of devotion, so I thought I would share it with you guys (if any moderators object or if this is deemed the wrong please remove this at once, I wish no offense!). Let me know what you think. Anyone else here have Christian or Catholic body art?

s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/buphiloman/?action=view&current=Photoon2010-04-12at1711.jpg

 

[DJgang]

http://s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/buphiloman/?action=view&current=Photoon2010-04-12at1711.jpg

I’ve seen a lot of comments on various threads here about the moral permissibility of tattoos. I think they can be wonderful acts of devotion. I recently got my first tattoo (in my mid thirties), as an act of devotion, so I thought I would share it with you guys (if any moderators object or if this is deemed the wrong please remove this at once, I wish no offense!). Let me know what you think. Anyone else here have Christian or Catholic body art?

s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/buphiloman/?action=view&current=Photoon2010-04-12at1711.jpg

I had to comment. That is very nice.

I do want a Catholic tattoo…I just don’t know what to get.

 

[HereticalTheist]

I had to comment. That is very nice.

I do want a Catholic tattoo…I just don’t know what to get.

Thanks for saying so:thumbsup:

I was starting to get worried. 50 views and not a single comment (not even negative).

As for what to get, have you visited any of your local tattoo shops? I designed my own this time, but any tattoo artist worth your time will have thousands of hours and years of experience, and even better, an extensive portfolio of previous work. Odds are if you live in a Catholic area, the have done catholic tattoos and maybe be able to help you choose a design.

 

[joe_cool]

http://s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/buphiloman/?action=view&current=Photoon2010-04-12at1711.jpg

I’ve seen a lot of comments on various threads here about the moral permissibility of tattoos. I think they can be wonderful acts of devotion. I recently got my first tattoo (in my mid thirties), as an act of devotion, so I thought I would share it with you guys (if any moderators object or if this is deemed the wrong please remove this at once, I wish no offense!). Let me know what you think. Anyone else here have Christian or Catholic body art?

s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/buphiloman/?action=view&current=Photoon2010-04-12at1711.jpg

I also have one. It says “Soli Deo Gloria”. It’s Latin, meaning “the glory of God alone”.

 

[MtnDwellar]

Very nice. Why did you choose that cross?

 

[HereticalTheist]

Very nice. Why did you choose that cross?

It’s the Jerusalem Cross, which has ling been a favorite emblem of mine. If you ever visit Austria, or North Italy, you will see it on the walls of medieval castles belonging to families that fought in the Crusades. I love those old castles. Additionally the five cross represent the five wounds of Our Lord, and the the four smaller crosses depict the four winds carrying the gospel. Additionally, the five crosses to me personally represent my five years in the PhD program I am in. it commemorates this wonderful time in my life and reminds me of my Lord. Plus it hurt (it took two hours), which is suffering, which is good as an act of devotion.

Also, in a year or so, I intend to get another tattoo in the symmetrical spot on my upper left arm, and it will be a similar old coin style design, but it will be of the Owl of Athena. The tattoos will then represent Athens and Jerusalem…

 

[SarahR]

Nice.

 

[Rawb]

On the inside of my left forearm I have a Celtic Cross with a lion inside. His mane fills out the circle on the cross. There’s very little color. Just a bit of tannish/gold/yellow (lion color?) in the shading.

I have the Celtic trinity symbol on my right calf. It’s shaded green on the inside fading to my skin. In the center is a circle around a Chi-Ro (meant to be a host). This one a friend did and I told her to be very sloppy, so the color runs out of the lines a bit and the outline is wavy. It sounds bad, but I love the way it looks.

 

[Mrs_V]

I think it is a nice tattoo. I have a devotional tattoo as well. There is another one I would like to get but haven’t decided on the exact placement.

 

[Robbinson]

I think it is a nice tattoo. I have a devotional tattoo as well. There is another one I would like to get but haven’t decided on the exact placement.

My oldest daughter (in college) has one - I went with her for support when the artist created a beautiful image of the Holy Spirit (dove) on her arm with a related scripture reference. While I personally don’t have one (its a personal choice), I think it can be a wonderful statement of who you are as a Christian.

Blessings,

Brian

 

[PaschalCatholic]

I have: a wooden cross with a vine and thorns wrapping around it and a rosary with the San Domiano cross hanging from the neck of the wooden cross. above it says: King of Kings, below: He is Risen

location: between shoulderblades

I hope to get:
The outline of a Chi-Rho (like on some priests’ vestments) and on the ends of the Rho will be the letters A-M-D-G, inside the outline will be dates.

location: right ribs (where he was pierced by the lance) because I hear the ribs are an extremely painful place to have done and i figure it’s a simple, temporary mortification and a constant reminder of His sacrifice
AMDG- Ad Majorem Dei Glorium = for the greater glory of God
the dates are death dates of relatives and friends

 

[HereticalTheist]

I have: a wooden cross with a vine and thorns wrapping around it and a rosary with the San Domiano cross hanging from the neck of the wooden cross. above it says: King of Kings, below: He is Risen

location: between shoulderblades

I hope to get:
The outline of a Chi-Rho (like on some priests’ vestments) and on the ends of the Rho will be the letters A-M-D-G, inside the outline will be dates.

location: right ribs (where he was pierced by the lance) because I hear the ribs are an extremely painful place to have done and i figure it’s a simple, temporary mortification and a constant reminder of His sacrifice
AMDG- Ad Majorem Dei Glorium = for the greater glory of God
the dates are death dates of relatives and friends

Wow…ribcage wraps are terribly painful I have heard. I can’t imagine then 3 weeks of healing being much fun either!

I never thought about a San Damiano! would love to see that design…I’d bet it is awesome.

 

[PaschalCatholic]

Wow…ribcage wraps are terribly painful I have heard. I can’t imagine then 3 weeks of healing being much fun either!

I never thought about a San Damiano! would love to see that design…I’d bet it is awesome.

Yeah, Francis is my confirmation saint and the first rosary I bought for myself had the San Damiano on it so I thought it’d look nice hanging from my cross. I drew it up, gave it to my artist he made it look cooler (I’m a science person) and we put it on. The whole thing took 2.5 hours.
I’m excited to see how long the ribcage takes, i’ll pray that my suffering unites me more to Christ. I didn’t know it’s three weeks to heal though.
God bless,
B

 

[Student09]

I would never get a tattoo myself, but I think the idea of a religious tattoo (if it is genuinely devotional) is neat. Also the idea of our belonging to God being somehow inscribed on our souls is Biblical. “And his name shall be on their foreheads.” (Not saying you should get one on your forehead. )

There is a story by Flannery O’Connor called “Parker’s Back,” centering around a religiously confused man who gets an icon of Jesus’ face tattooed on his back. It’s a very beautiful and powerful story, one of her best in my opinion. It was one of the last ones - or maybe was the last one - that she wrote before she died.

 

[HereticalTheist]

I would never get a tattoo myself, but I think the idea of a religious tattoo (if it is genuinely devotional) is neat. Also the idea of our belonging to God being somehow inscribed on our souls is Biblical. “And his name shall be on their foreheads.” (Not saying you should get one on your forehead. )

There is a story by Flannery O’Connor called “Parker’s Back,” centering around a religiously confused man who gets an icon of Jesus’ face tattooed on his back. It’s a very beautiful and powerful story, one of her best in my opinion. It was one of the last ones - or maybe was the last one - that she wrote before she died.

One of the things I thought about when I was getting my tattoo was that at baptism our souls are indelibly marked by the Holy Spirit, now my body is indelibly marked to match.

 

[Holly3278]

I would like to perhaps get a Catholic tattoo. If I did get one, it would probably be a relatively small one and it would more than likely be a crucifix or a Eucharistic tattoo or maybe a combination of the two.

If anyone knows of any good Catholic/Christian tattoo galleries online that contain a good deal of Catholic tattoos, I would appreciate the link(s).

 

[cecilia97]

http://s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/buphiloman/?action=view&current=Photoon2010-04-12at1711.jpg

I’ve seen a lot of comments on various threads here about the moral permissibility of tattoos. I think they can be wonderful acts of devotion. I recently got my first tattoo (in my mid thirties), as an act of devotion, so I thought I would share it with you guys (if any moderators object or if this is deemed the wrong please remove this at once, I wish no offense!). Let me know what you think. Anyone else here have Christian or Catholic body art?

s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/buphiloman/?action=view&current=Photoon2010-04-12at1711.jpg

This is the Cross of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, yes?

I think it’s lovely! I got my first tattoo at about 31, and it is also a cross design. I would like to get another, but am waiting for the right one to “hit” me.

 

[cecilia97]

I have: a wooden cross with a vine and thorns wrapping around it and a rosary with the San Domiano cross hanging from the neck of the wooden cross. above it says: King of Kings, below: He is Risen

Hooray, this is similar to mine! It’s a blooming fruit tree that is twisted into a cross. At the time I was first divorced, I joined my current parish which has a relic of the True Cross, and the pastor frequently makes reference to the Cross as the Tree of Life. So, the tattoo has religious and personal significance for me: coming to life again after a terrible crisis and to always remind me of the Tree of Life.