Christian Symbol Coloring Pages — Cross Dove Lamb Fish

Christian symbols coloring pages — the visual vocabulary of the faith

Christianity is full of symbols. The cross. The dove. The lamb. The fish. The praying hands. The manger. The open Bible. The anchor. The shepherd's crook. Each symbol carries centuries of theological meaning, packed into a single image a child can recognize before they can read.

Symbols are how the Church has taught children — and adults who couldn't read — for two thousand years. The catacomb walls of early Rome were covered with the Ichthus fish. Medieval cathedral stained glass told the Bible story in symbols before the printing press made literacy widespread. Today, when a child colors a cross, they're learning to recognize the central symbol of Christian faith long before they understand the theology behind it.

This section is the central library of Christian symbol coloring pages. Each symbol has a dedicated page set that covers its biblical origin, its theological meaning, and several variations showing the symbol in different contexts.

The 7 core symbols we cover

We currently publish complete page sets for the seven most-taught Christian symbols in Sunday school and Catholic catechesis:

1. The Cross

The cross coloring pages cover the central symbol of Christianity in its many forms:

• The plain Latin cross — the most common Western form
• The crucifix — the cross with the body of Christ (corpus), used in Catholic and Orthodox tradition
• The Celtic cross — the cross with a circle, associated with Irish Christianity and St. Patrick
• The Greek cross — equal-armed cross used in Eastern Orthodox tradition
• The empty cross — Protestant variant emphasizing the Resurrection
• The cross with hosanna lilies — Easter Sunday celebratory variant

Bible verse: 1 Corinthians 1:18 — "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

2. The Dove

The dove coloring pages represent the Holy Spirit in Christian iconography:

• The dove descending — the Spirit at Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:16)
• The dove with olive branch — Noah's dove (Genesis 8:11), symbol of God's covenant of peace
• The Pentecost dove — descending on the apostles in tongues of fire (Acts 2)
• The dove with rays — the artistic tradition of showing the Spirit's light radiating outward

Bible verses: Genesis 8:11, Matthew 3:16, Acts 2:1-4.

3. The Lamb of God

The lamb of God coloring pages — Agnus Dei in Latin — represent Christ as the sacrificial lamb foretold in Old Testament Passover:

• The standing lamb with banner — the most common iconographic form, showing victory over death
• The lamb on the Book of Revelation — the worthy Lamb who alone can open the seals (Revelation 5)
• The Passover lamb — Old Testament context (Exodus 12)
• John the Baptist's declaration — "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:29)

This symbol is central to Catholic theology of the Eucharist and to Protestant theology of substitutionary atonement.

4. The Ichthus Fish

The Ichthus fish coloring pages cover one of the earliest Christian symbols:

• The simple fish outline — the basic Ichthus
• The fish with Greek letters (ΙΧΘΥΣ) — the acronym for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" (Iēsous Christos Theou Yios Sōtēr)
• The fish and bread — the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21)
• The fishers of men — Jesus calling Peter and Andrew (Matthew 4:19)

Historical context: early Christians used the Ichthus as a secret identifier during Roman persecution — one person would draw an arc; the other would complete the fish to indicate they were Christian.

5. Praying Hands

The praying hands coloring pages cover the universal symbol of devotion:

• Hands folded with fingers steepled — the most common Western form
• Hands raised in the orans posture — palms up, the ancient Christian posture of praise (mentioned in 1 Timothy 2:8)
• Hands folded with rosary — Catholic variant for rosary catechesis
• Children praying in family — illustration of family prayer

6. The Manger

The manger coloring pages cover the Christmas symbol of Christ's humble birth (Luke 2:7, 12, 16):

• The simple wooden manger with baby Jesus — the central Nativity image
• The full Nativity scene — manger plus Mary, Joseph, shepherds, animals
• The wise men at the manger — Epiphany variant (Matthew 2)
• The animals at the manger — ox and donkey from the iconographic tradition

These are popular Advent and Christmas Eve pages — see also our Christmas Bible coloring pages and Advent 2025 hubs.

7. The Open Bible

The open Bible coloring pages represent the centrality of scripture:

• The open Bible on a stand — the classic Protestant symbol
• The Bible with lamp — "Your word is a lamp to my feet" (Psalm 119:105)
• The Bible with sword — the word of God as the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12)
• The Bible with crown — the crown of life promised to those who endure (James 1:12, Revelation 2:10)

How symbol pages are used

Christian symbol pages work in three primary contexts:

1. Catechism and confirmation prep

When teaching a child the central symbols of the faith, working through them systematically — one symbol per week, with biblical citation and theological context — builds visual literacy that lasts a lifetime. Catholic CCD programs typically cover the cross, the dove, the lamb, the manger, and the praying hands in confirmation prep.

2. Vacation Bible School theme decoration

For VBS programs with a "treasures of faith" or "secret symbols" theme, symbol pages serve as both art and instruction. The Ichthus fish in particular is popular because of its dramatic historical story (early Christians hiding in catacombs, drawing the fish as a code).

3. Bible journaling for adults

For adult Bible journaling, our symbol pages are designed with intricate mandala-style detail surrounding the central symbol. The shepherd's crook, the anchor (hope), the chi-rho (Christ's monogram), and the alpha-omega (Revelation 1:8) are particularly popular adult variants.

What we mean by "biblical accuracy" for symbols

A common question: how can a symbol be "biblically accurate"? The page isn't depicting a Bible story.

Two answers:

1. The symbol's biblical origin must be cited correctly. Each symbol page links to the specific Bible passage that establishes the symbol — the Holy Spirit as dove (Matthew 3:16), the Lamb of God (John 1:29), the open Bible as God's word (Psalm 119:105). Pages that depict a symbol without scriptural grounding don't pass our editorial review.
2. The symbol's theological meaning must be presented accurately. The cross is not merely an aesthetic choice; it carries specific theological content about Christ's atoning death. The dove is not generic peace imagery; it's the Holy Spirit. Pages that strip the theological meaning out of a symbol — the Hallmark-card approach — don't go on the site.

For Catholic-specific symbols (e.g. the Sacred Heart, the Marian symbols, the host and chalice), see also our Catholic coloring pages section.

Symbols by their biblical reference

A quick map of which Bible passages establish each symbol:

• Cross: 1 Corinthians 1:18, 2:2; Galatians 6:14
• Dove: Genesis 8:11; Matthew 3:16; Acts 2:1-4
• Lamb of God: Exodus 12; John 1:29; Revelation 5; Revelation 7:17
• Ichthus fish: Matthew 4:19, 14:13-21; Mark 1:17
• Praying hands / orans posture: 1 Timothy 2:8; Lamentations 3:41
• Manger: Luke 2:7, 2:12, 2:16
• Open Bible: Psalm 119:105; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16; Ephesians 6:17

What's coming next

The symbols catalog continues to expand. Publishing priorities for the next 90 days:

• The chi-rho (Christ monogram) — the ancient Christian monogram combining the first two Greek letters of "Christ"
• The alpha and omega — Revelation 1:8, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet
• The good shepherd's crook — pastoral imagery from Psalm 23 and John 10
• The anchor of hope — Hebrews 6:19
• The trinity symbol (triquetra) — the three interlocking arcs representing the Trinity
• The crown of thorns — Holy Week symbol
• The Sacred Heart — Catholic devotional symbol (June feast)

If there's a symbol you'd like us to cover, email us.

— Sarah Mitchell, Christian Education Editor