What does IHS stand for?

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IHS appears not only in Catholic contexts, but on Anglican stained glass windows and altars. Can someone tell me what it stands for and where it originates?
 
IHS stands for IEUSUS HOMINUM SALVATOR - Jesus Savior of Man
 
Both of these are wrong.

It’s a Latinization of the Greek IHC (Iota Eta Sigma), being the first three letters–or first two and last–of the Greek form of Jesus: IHCOYC.
 
Cluny said:
Both of these are wrong.

It’s a Latinization of the Greek IHC (Iota Eta Sigma), being the first three letters–or first two and last–of the Greek form of Jesus: IHCOYC.
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Not exactly. One is wrong, one is correct.

As you say, the monogram is the first three letters of the Greek name, and I do not dispute that. But, the Latin Church has traditionally rendered IHS as Iesus Hominum Salvator. The monogram often also appears as JHS.
 
malphono said:
Not exactly. One is wrong, one is correct.

As you say, the monogram is the first three letters of the Greek name, and I do not dispute that. But, the Latin Church has traditionally rendered IHS as Iesus Hominum Salvator. The monogram often also appears as JHS.
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That is not correct.

Read the Catholic Encyclopedia link in the second post.
Here is an extract:

IHS was sometimes wrongly understood as “Jesus Hominum (or Hierosolymae) Salvator”, i.e. Jesus, the Saviour of men (or of Jerusalem=Hierosolyma).
 
Cluny said:
Both of these are wrong.

It’s a Latinization of the Greek IHC (Iota Eta Sigma), being the first three letters–or first two and last–of the Greek form of Jesus: IHCOYC.
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No, you would be wrong. The letters are IHS not IHC, Greek has no “s”.
 
thistle said:
That is not correct.

Read the Catholic Encyclopedia link in the second post.
Here is an extract:

IHS was sometimes wrongly understood as “Jesus Hominum (or Hierosolymae) Salvator”, i.e. Jesus, the Saviour of men (or of Jerusalem=Hierosolyma).
Click to expand...
Fine. Mère Marie-Régine, Mère Marie-Bernadette, Mère Marie-Christine, Mère Marie-Edith, et al, all of blessed memory, would no doubt be happy to know that they taught lies.
 
malphono said:
Fine. Mère Marie-Régine, Mère Marie-Bernadette, Mère Marie-Christine, Mère Marie-Edith, et al, all of blessed memory, would no doubt be happy to know that they taught lies.
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Now you are being silly. Being wrong does not mean lies have been told!
 
thistle said:
Now you are being silly. Being wrong does not mean lies have been told!
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Indeed, no doubt they taught with sincerity, having been themselves instructed by misinformation.

And: Just as you do not deny the Greek monogram, it cannot be denied that IHS abbreviates *Iesus Hominum Salvator *-- After all, if it does not, then what *is *the abbreviation of Iesus Hominum Salvator?

But in answer to the OP: The reason IHS appears in Christian iconography is because of the Greek monogram.

tee
 
As you say, the monogram is the first three letters of the Greek name, and I do not dispute that. But, the Latin Church has traditionally rendered IHS as Iesus Hominum Salvator. The monogram often also appears as JHS.

Only by CUSTOM, not “traditionally.” It’s not part of Sacred Tradition.
 
According to Jack Chick, it means Isis, Horus, and Seth. 😛 But who listens to Chick anyway? 😉
 
Cluny said:
As you say, the monogram is the first three letters of the Greek name, and I do not dispute that. But, the Latin Church has traditionally rendered IHS as Iesus Hominum Salvator. The monogram often also appears as JHS.

Only by CUSTOM, not “traditionally.” It’s not part of Sacred Tradition.
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And did I say Sacred Tradition? No. I well know the difference.

In any case, call it custom if you prefer. Some days I don’t mind playing with semantics, but today is not one of them.
 
I was told that St. Bernardine invented the symbol as a teaching tool, but didn’t tell anyone what it meant except that it referred to the Eucharist. I quote the following from the St. Bernardine of Siena, Woodland Hills, California website, from their “about our patron saint” section:

Strangely, no one is sure what the acronym stands for, but the IHS surrounded by a sun symbol found in many Catholic Churches, was St. Bernardine’s visual aid to his listeners.

So, according to the Church, its meaning is unsure. They may have tried to have some words “fit” the acronym, but we still don’t know.
 
The origin of IHS is from the Greek ΙΗΣΟΥΣ. When you see it written as JHC or IHC, instead of IHS, it’s perhaps a bit more apparent, as C was the form used for the Greek letter Σ in Roman times. Of course, there’s nothing particularly wrong with alternative interpretations like Iesus Hominum Salvator; they’re just a bit of word play on the Christogram.
 
🍿

Amusing… is nobody correct? This is like watching a tennis match
 
Cyclophile said:
🍿

Amusing… is nobody correct? This is like watching a tennis match
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I think all are correct, when you place the latin and greek in their proper translation from the latin and greek saints when they used them; “in hoc vinces, or in hoc signo vinces” is the vision Constantine saw in the sky with a great cross before his battle victory.

The Latin inscription or translation of IHS shows up on churches, altar cloths, and vestments including crosses through out church history.

Although the IHS can be found in the same places, but they are not directly related to In Hoc Signo when translated from Greek these letters are an abbreviation of the Holy Name.

I think we may have some latin and greek meanings being crossed here.

The **original cross had both latin and greek **writings from Pilate INRI “Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews”.
 
Gabriel_of_12 said:
I think all are correct, when you place the latin and greek in their proper translation from the latin and greek saints when they used them; “in hoc vinces, or in hoc signo vinces” is the vision Constantine saw in the sky with a great cross before his battle victory.

The Latin inscription or translation of IHS shows up on churches, altar cloths, and vestments including crosses through out church history.

Although the IHS can be found in the same places, but they are not directly related to In Hoc Signo when translated from Greek these letters are an abbreviation of the Holy Name.

I think we may have some latin and greek meanings being crossed here.

The **original cross had both latin and greek **writings from Pilate INRI “Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews”.
Click to expand...
IHS is a Christogram that is popular with the West. The East uses ICXC more. I have yet to see an Eastern icon with IHS.
 
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