# Why do people say Jesus H Christ

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-say-jesus-h-christ/481084>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [January 13, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-say-jesus-h-christ/481084 "2009-01-13T14:00:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![thegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/848f3c/32.png) [@thegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thegreen)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-say-jesus-h-christ/481084/1 "2009-01-13T14:00:01Z")

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From [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/30/why-do-folks-say-jesus-h-christ](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/30/why-do-folks-say-jesus-h-christ)

IHS would in fact look like IHC in some Greek scripts, as in Byzantine Greek, where sigma is written C. Whether that’s the answer, I don’t know.

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**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-say-jesus-h-christ/481084/2 "2009-01-13T14:31:48Z")

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See my post on the other thread on this topic. There are _many_ examples of the IHC symbol for Jesus’ name in churches and other religious works of art. I have little doubt that this is where it derives from.

> [@Why Do Folks Always Say Jesus H. Christ?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-folks-always-say-jesus-h-christ/480511/13):
>
> The Christogram (or logo of Christ’s name) **IHC** is an alternative for IHS, and is often found in old churches in the UK.
> 
> It is a transliteration of the Greek iota-eta-sigma, with the sigma represented by a C rather than an S.
> 
> See the following examples:  
> [Oxford,Trinity College, Dining Hall](http://www.flickr.com/photos/22274117@N08/2778340663/)  
> [Orchardleigh, St Mary](http://www.flickr.com/photos/22274117@N08/2491978793/)  
> [Earlham Cemetery, Norwich, Norfolk](http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/14141655/)  
> [Guy’s Chapel](http://www.flickr.com/photos/yersinia/298439572/)  
> [Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk](http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/659425419/)  
> [Byz./Medieval Lady’s Christogram Silver ring on eBay](http://cgi.ebay.com/Byz-Medieval-Ladys-Christogram-Silver-ring-IHC_W0QQitemZ270326713348QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Antiquities?hash=item270326713348&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50)  
> [Cross at Grace Cathedral](http://blog.wingerson.us/?p=374)  
> [Church dedication: St Mary The Virgin, Long Stratton, Norfolk](http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/2083862248/)  
> [Church dedication: St Peter & St Paul, Lavenham, Suffolk](http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/2194319081/)  
> [Church dedication: St Mary the Virgin, Burston, Norfolk](http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/1660273496/)
> 
> There are probably thousands of examples in English churches.
> 
> It’s very easy to see that this could be taken as standing for Jesus H. Christ.