Variations of the ichthys symbol Variations of the ichthys symbol The ichthys symbol, or "Jesus fish", typically used to proclaim an affiliation with or affinity for Christianity, has many variations. Some of these are made by Christians in order to promote a specific doctrine or theological perspective, such as evolutionary creation. Other variations are sometimes intended for the purpose of satire. Both the traditional ichthys fish as well as its variations, are often seen adorning the bumpers or trunks of automobiles, often in the form of adhesive badges made of chrome-colored plastic. While the fish symbol dates back millennia, having its origins in pre-Christian religious
History of Christianity New Testament writings mention persecutions and stress endurance through them. Early Christians suffered sporadic persecutions as the result of local pagan populations putting pressure on the imperial authorities to take action against the Christians in their midst, who were thought to bring misfortune by their refusal to honour the gods. The last and most severe persecution organised by the imperial authorities was the Diocletianic Persecution, 303–311. In spite of these sometimes intense persecutions, the Christian religion continued its spread throughout the Mediterranean Basin. There is no agreement on how Christianity managed to spread so successfully prior to the Edict of