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The church does not approve of tattoos, but what if a parishioner wants a body drawing as a sign of their faith? Millions of believers around the world are proud of their faith and want to leave an eternal reminder of it on their bodies. After all, this drawing will remind them every time what they are fighting for and what they live for. You can choose different symbols or words for this, but the essence will remain the same — it will always be about faith tattoos.
You will be surprised (or not), but this type of tattoo is one of the most popular in the world. Why, what meaning can a faith tattoo have, and what are the symbols and designs? We will try to give answers to all these questions.
Symbols in Faith Tattoos
The word “faith” has no special symbol designation, so many different signs are associated with it. The most famous symbol is the cross. The cross is deeply associated with faith, we see it in churches, and many people wear the cross on their bodies. It is usually associated with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, that is to say, with Christianity in general. From this, we see another symbol, Jesus, also popular in faith tattoos. Other Christian symbols include doves, hands in prayer, rosaries, and scriptures.
“So how do you pick one?” — you’ll ask. Think about what connects you most to your faith. Perhaps you have read something important in the Bible, or you have found peace in prayer, or maybe something else.
There are more general symbols that can be used by anyone, not just Christians. These symbols convey spiritual faith more than religious faith but they are no less important. For example, the word “faith” can be accompanied by an infinity sign, flowers, or birds. Sometimes symbols associated with other faiths are used — the Star of David (signifying Jewish origin), a lotus flower (Buddhism), etc.
Faith Tattoo Meaning
A faith tattoo is often just a word, “faith” or “fé” (this is a translation into Portuguese, also very popular among tattoo fans). Faith tattoos are important to believers — it’s how they show what they live for, what they care about, and what they believe in.
Faith can mean more than just belief in God, in a higher power. Sometimes it is a belief in yourself or a reminder that you have to believe to overcome fear. And sometimes you have to believe to be yourself, to remain human.
Perhaps you want to show inner strength in a tattoo? This can be done in many ways, and we have gathered some ideas for you.
Faith Tattoo Ideas
How do you convey a sense of faith in a tattoo? It lives deep inside a person and is difficult to describe. Nevertheless, humans are the most inventive creatures on earth and have come up with many ways to reflect faith in tattoos.
Inscriptions
Words are the easiest way to express thoughts and sometimes feelings. Perhaps people often choose inscriptions to convey their faith most clearly, so there is no understatement.
Faith
The common word “faith” is the top 1 among such tattoos. Believers often choose minimalism and simplicity. For them, it is not the shell that is vital, but the meaning. In such cases, you can express a lot with just this word. Pay attention to the fonts — they are similar in most cases. People choose handwritten calligraphic fonts to convey refinement, fragility, and beauty. It can be something solemn or personal. It fits in nicely with the notion of faith, does not it?
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“Fé”
Brevity is the sister of talent, isn’t it? If you agree with this statement, you will surely appreciate the concise “fé” tattoo. Not everyone will understand its meaning, although it is only a translation of the word “faith” in Portuguese. Nevertheless, you will look mysterious enough to make others curious about the meaning of such a tattoo (in case you want to show it).
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Faith-Hope-Love
Faith, hope, and love are the main Christian virtues. They are so well known that they even have their symbols — the cross, the anchor, and the heart — joined together. Sometimes they are called allegories of the Holy Trinity.
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Quotes
Sometimes tattoo fans choose whole quotes related to their faith. More often than not, there is also the concept of fear as something that hinders faith: “Faith over fear”, “Fear ends where faith begins”.
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Crosses
We have already briefly mentioned crosses, but let us remind you again: the cross is the most famous symbol associated with the faith, it means the crucifixion of Christ. The tattoo with the image of the cross on the arm carries the symbol of honor, strength, and patience.
The cross tattoo on the neck signifies a person’s submission to their fate. This does not mean that the symbol is for wimps. You know, obedience to fate, humility, and meaningful fatalism is not for wimps. This symbol carries this meaning in the male version, but for women, it means that she chooses her path and meets all the outbursts of fate, ready for anything.
Find out more about cross tattoos, their meanings, and ideas in our article: Cross Tattoos: What It Means, History, And Design Ideas.
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Flowers
Flowers are not directly associated with faith but sometimes become symbols. For example, people associate the rose with the Virgin Mary. It was believed that the rose in the Garden of Eden had no thorns before the fall of humanity, so Mary is often depicted with a rose without thorns.
Sometimes other flowers are also used, such as daisies.
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Saint’s & Angels
People who want a relatively large tattoo on the subject of faith more often choose images of saints or angels.
- The tattoo with Jesus Christ says that a person is ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of others, and strives to help people not only to feel good but also because he simply cannot live in another way.
- The drawing of the Mother of God speaks about holiness and spirituality, wisdom and purity
- Tattoo with St. George indicates courage and strength, fortitude and determination of the person.
- Drawing with Nicholas the Wonderworker speaks of courage, compassion, and love for others.
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Hands in Prayer
Prayer is one of the most important expressions of faith. In prayer, a person opens his soul, repents, or asks God for help. People whose lives and prayers are significant often choose this symbol for a tattoo.
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Unusual Designs
Sometimes people find it hard to choose one symbol, and they combine several to make an unusual composition. And for others, a symbol of faith is something unique or unconventional, like a skeleton or a butterfly. These are the kinds of ideas we have gathered at the end of our selection.
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How To Choose a Font for a Faith Tattoo
Sometimes believers think that one must necessarily choose ancient scripts that were found in ancient manuscripts, etc. In fact, there is no need to do so unless you like those very fonts.
One of the most commonly used fonts in tattooing is calligraphic. There are so many reasons why this particular style of writing is chosen, but we think this success is thanks to the fact that you can get a custom design in this style simply because each of us has unique handwriting. Calligraphy styles can range from the classic style, which takes us back to the text styles of the past, to the handwritten style.
Writing a tattoo font just by hand is not a bad alternative. You’ll never know if you’ll get something good until you try it! There are many tattoos for which handwritten lettering has been used. So you could, after looking at the many variations of fonts that already exist, try writing something for yourself with your hand. This will help you make the tattoo as personal as possible.
Faith Tattoos for Men and Women
Is there any difference between men and women when it comes to faith-related tattoos? More likely no than yes. In the 21st century, the boundaries between what men like and what women like are slowly being erased. Yes, men are still choosing a rougher tattoo style more often, but not as often as they used to.
Now you can meet both girls and guys with subtle minimalist designs as well as brighter and rougher ones. It all depends on your preferences.
Summary
Faithful people like having things around to remind them of their faith, so faith tattoos are perfect for them. Made from images of their gods or their words, they are a very common style of tattoo.
Faith tattoos cover almost all religions. Whether you are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist… You can have these types of tattoos on your skin that will follow you forever.
In these tattoos, you can expect everything from angels to virgins, crosses, bleeding Christ, smiling Christ, churches, roses… The images you can use are almost endless and will depend a lot on your taste and your personal story.
FAQ
🤔 What Does a Faith Tattoo Mean?
In general, a faith tattoo simply means that a person believes in something or someone. The reasons may vary, but if a person imprints something on his body, it most likely has greatly affected him.
⛪️ What Is a Symbol of Faith?
The most famous symbol is the cross. The cross is deeply associated with faith, we see it in churches, and many people wear the cross on their bodies.
💬 What Are the Dots on the Faith Tattoo?
People choose a tattoo with three dots to pay homage to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Christian belief systems.
🌹 What Flower Symbolizes Faith?
Flowers are not directly associated with faith but sometimes become symbols. For example, the rose is associated with the Virgin Mary. It was believed that the rose in the Garden of Eden had no thorns before the fall of mankind, so Mary is often depicted with a rose without thorns.
