Tattoos and religion have a long history, but the relationship between the two has not always been cohesive. In 787 AD, Pope Hadrian I prohibited all forms of tattooing, largely because Roman and Greek cultures used tattooing as a mark for slaves and criminals. The tattoos Christians were receiving often depicted a cross or the name of Jesus, symbolizing their commitment to the faith and serving as a reminder of the suffering Jesus endured on the cross. Support for Pope Hadrian I’s banning of tattoos can be found in the Scripture of many religions. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all reference certain passages in their Scriptures to support their claim that tattoos are not permitted. In the book of Leviticus, found in the Old Testament of the Bible within a section called the Torah (which all three named religions acknowledge), chapter 19, verse 28 states, “You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.” Nevertheless, especially within Christianity, where there is now a New Testament and certain beliefs about Old Testament ceremonial laws have evolved, some argue that this law was primarily directed toward the people of that time, who were called to be distinct from the surrounding nations that may have used tattoos for religious or spiritual purposes.
In “Transformed Hearts, Transformed Bodies: Christian Pilgrimage Tattoos as Products of a Ritual Process,” the author, Madeline Links, describes how early Christians were sometimes branded with their crimes of Christianity or marks of slavery by the Romans, but quickly began to repurpose the tattoos with pride, as it was a symbol of their enduring faith. Then, when Constantine legalized Christianity in 313 AD, Christians began traveling to Jerusalem to see the places Jesus walked and catch tangible glimpses of his life on earth. Along with a holy pilgrimage, there often came internal or spiritual revelations. To symbolize this change and serve as a reminder, Christians usually get tattoos in Jerusalem on their pilgrimage. The most popular tattoo is likely to be the Jerusalem Cross. There are multiple interpretations of the image. One is that the central cross represents Jerusalem, the center of the world in a Spiritual sense, and the 4 crosses in the 4 quadrants represent the four corners of the Earth, a concept recognized in Christian religion about spreading the faith to all 4 corners of the world. A second interpretation is that the 5 crosses represent the 5 wounds of Christ: nail wounds to both hands and feet and a spear in the side.
“Custom Tattoo Work—Historical Improvisation During William Lithgow’s 1612 Pilgrimage” recounts the story of a man named William Lithgow who made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem from Scotland. He, too, got a tattoo to commemorate his journey. The one pictured to the right is called the “Arms of Jerusalem.” This is another common tattoo, which contains the Jerusalem Cross on it, in addition to many other symbols like Jesus on the cross, religious inscriptions and symbols, and Bethlehem (the birthplace of Jesus) symbology.
Although there may be conflicting opinions about whether tattoos have their place in religion, many believe they can carry a spiritual significance for them and their faith. Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and other holy sites often warrants a mark to remember and symbolize the journey for individuals of the faith.
