Chi-Rho

[ kee-roh, kahy- ]

noun

, plural Chi-Rhos.

1. the Christian monogram ( ☧ ) made from the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Chi-Rho¹

First two letters of Greek Christós Christ. See chi ¹, rho

Example Sentences

Even Constantine’s labarum, under which sign his vision was to conquer, was not a cross; it was the Chi-Rho.

From Washington Post

Convinced this was a message from God, his soldiers were told to mark their shields with the Christian sign of Chi-Rho, the two Green letters at the beginning of the world “Christ” as they went into the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.

From Forbes

The custom of placing a cross over the doorway of a Christian building may be traced back to the sixth century in Palestine, where the Chi-Rho monogram occurs on the lintels of the doorways of the houses.

From Project Gutenberg

A third was a round flat-bottomed bowl, with a decorated rim bearing the Chi-Rho amidst its other ornament.

From Project Gutenberg