Tag: Catholic Church

Have you been considering a rosary tattoo design? These are very hot right now many tattoo artists and celebrities show their rosary tattoo proudly. It is a pretty easy design that can typically be done in one sitting and therefore won’t cost an arm and a leg and it is a well recognized symbol of religious devotion. If you have been considering getting a rosary tattoo then you will want to read on to learn more about this incredible tattoo design and some locations where you might considering getting it inked.

Rosary Tattoos Tradition and Meaning
The rosary of course is most often associated with Catholicism but it is also used in some areas of Protestantism. In real life the rosary is a beaded tool that is used for prayer and deep contemplation. The beads used to be made out of ground up rose petals and beads from a pant called Job’s tears which creates little seed beads. In fact the Latin word for the rosary is rosary rosarium which means “rose garden”. The rosary is made up of 5 sets of ten beads and traditional a hail Mary is said for each bead.

Locations
There are many different styles and locations for rosary tattoos. They can be done as a memorial or Rest In Peace type of tattoo to honor a loved one who has passed. They can also be done in a set of hands closed together in prayer. However, these days some of the most popular rosary tattoo designs are those that are just the rosary by itself. For women the top locations to get these designs inked are on the ankle, wrist or even the hip. Typically they feature a full length rosary and are not done to scale but made a bit smaller to fit in the location. For men however it is most traditional to get a rosary tattoo design around the neck as a realistic design or on the shoulder in a set of hands in prayer.

Keep in mind the rosary is a very strong symbol for the Catholic Church and definitely one that has strong religious ties to anyone who sees it. Therefore if you are considering getting a rosary tattoo you want to make sure it is something you will be happy and stay with forever. If you are a new convert to Catholicicsm and just thought it would be a cool symbol to get inked you might want to reconsider. However, if it is a powerful and significant symbol to you then go for it.

Angel tattoos have been around since Europeans and Americans have embraced tattooing as a way to express their beliefs and at the same time have a pictorial representation of their inner being. Angel tattoos can be drawn in the many variations that angels have been depicted through out history. The number of different angels is as numerous as the number of ways a tattoo artist can draw them. Either through religious significance or through love of the icon, angel tattoos can express a persons interest in the after life or their fascination with the beauty of the creature.

There is some debate of whether a Christian can represent their beliefs by wearing an angel tattoo. Some denominations translate the Bible as saying that the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and to defy the temple is to defy God. This catch all phrase gives religious advocates the right to put alcohol, tobacco, gluttony, and now tattoos as defecation to your body and through the body, God. Even angel tattoos and crucifix tattoos are being scrutinized. In contrast, the Catholic Church, especially those of Hispanic background allow all sorts of religious icons, even those that include angel tattoos and the likeness of Christ.

Angel tattoos can take on the opposite persona when used in an anti-religious context. The Hells Angels and the Devils Disciples, two outlaw bike gangs have embraced the angel tattoo in a different way than those who have religious connections. Scantly clad angel tattoos have been drawn that depict angels in their beauty, but also the beauty of their body. Angel tattoos with bare breasts and long flowing hair are accented with their heavenly gifts of extreme beauty and angelic wings have become an art form that has taken a life of its own.

Another take on the angel tattoo is the opposite side of the religious coin. Lucifer was an archangel that defiled Gods word and was cast from heaven. He has angels that followed him and even considered demons; these dark angels have adorned the body art enthusiast as a form of dark beauty and malevolence. The dark angel tattoo may represent a more sinister vampireitic attitude than the angel tattoos of their heavenly counterpart. They should not be considered evil or a bad talisman, but an expression of freedom of thought from the viewpoint of the wearer.

No matter if you wear the angel tattoo to express your belief of God and your belief that angels are protectors and messengers or you wear an angel tattoo because it expresses beauty and just plan good art, the angel tattoo is a strong icon that can represent many things. When judging people who have angel tattoos have an open mind. Though the picture may be dark or sacrilegious to you, the body art enthusiast it may just mean that they liked the picture. Tattoos are powerful symbols. Whether you are trying to portray you funny side with a cartoon character or show that you have a religious preference and belief with an angel tattoo, the symbols are a reflection of the wearers likes and beliefs and should not be judged by appearance alone.