What the fish symbol you see on many cars means

Spread the love

Read Time:1 Minute, 30 Second

Although most of us have seen the fish symbol on a car before, few know its history and the reason for its placement on a vehicle’s surface.

The story behind a common sticker that can still be found on cars today takes us back to the distant past, some 2,000 years ago. Despite its long journey through time, the interpretation of the symbol remains unknown to most.

According to Car and Motor Greece, the reason for the fish symbol that some stick on the back of their car body is not to indicate their dietary preferences or the corresponding star sign but to declare their affiliation to a religion.
This practice has existed for almost 2,000 years, when the fish symbol became associated with Christianity and was used by believers in the early years of the spread of Christian doctrine.

Early Christians placed the fish symbol in secret meeting places and catacombs to declare their religious preferences while avoiding persecution.

There are various theories as to how the fish became the “secret” symbol of Christianity, one of which relates to the Greek words “Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς Θεοῦ Υἱὸς Σωτήρ” (Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior), the initial letters of which form the word “ΙΧΘΥΣ” (FISH).

Of course, much has changed from the time when Christians were persecuted until today. However, declaring one’s religious beliefs in this way made a comeback in the 1970s.

Back then, the first stickers with the fish symbol appeared on cars to keep an almost 2,000-year-old tradition alive.

Today, cars with the fish symbol are rare, but it is almost certain that if you pay more attention, sooner or later, you will spot the distinctive emblem with a history of 2,000 years.