Chi-Rho ☧

Now a great sign appeared in heaven…

Revelations 12:1

Abbreviations come in handy when there’s a lot to write down.  They’re also helpful to keep from revealing a secret or a forbidden word.  Such is the case with this title of Christ.

The Greek letter for “ch” is Chi and looks like an English X.  Rho sounds like “r” but is written like an English P. They form the first two letters of Christ.

During times of Roman persecution, Christians used symbols that could be recognized by other believers and overlooked by the authorities. The Chi-Rho, ☧, identified a person with Christ.

In the dawn of the fourth century, the Emperor Maxentius began the last purge of Christians.  Every believer in the empire was to be put to death without mercy or exception. All provincial rulers had to enforce this edict yet there was one who refused.

Constantine was a pagan, but his mother, Helena, was a Christian. Since there was no persecution in Gaul, many believers fled there. Constantine was summoned to Rome to answer for his disobedience and he went, taking his troops. The little army left knowing that they were outnumbered ten to one. On the way, Christian soldiers began swelling Constantine’s rank and by the time they got to Rome they were only outnumbered three to one. The day before the battle, Constantine looked at the sun and saw a ☧in the rays of light and tradition says he heard a voice saying, "In this sign you will conquer". A ☧was painted on every shield.

When the battle was joined, Maxentius’ huge army melted before Constantine. Panic ensued as thousands of men retreated across a pontoon bridge. The little boats that were tied together soon fell apart. Everyone wore heavy armor, so when Maxentius and most of his troops fell into the Tiber river, they soon drowned. The river killed more than the sword.

Constantine became the undisputed emperor of Rome that day and persecution of the saints came to an abrupt end.  Seeing the ☧, even the most devout pagan had to admit that there was something special about the name of Christ.