Anyone know enough Greek to answer that question?
2006-12-21 13:30:44 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
"X" is the Greek letter "Chi", which is the first letter of Christ.
It's been used as a symbol for Christ for over 1000 years--most commonly in Xmas.
It's not a disrespectful thing, and despite what people will tell you it has nothing to do with trying to "take the Christ out of Christmas" or insult Jesus. Many people use it as an abbreviation, some use it because in their faith writing the word "Christ" is sacriligous.
Some people get disproportionately upset about it, but that annoyance is based entirely on ignorance.
2006-12-24 07:08:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
X represents a Greek chi and is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ.
2006-12-21 21:41:54 · answer #2 · answered by sevenofus 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The word "Christ" and its compounds, including "Christmas", have been abbreviated for at least the past 1,000 years, long before the modern "Xmas" was commonly used. "Christ" was often written as "XP" or "Xt"; there are references in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as far back as 1021 AD. This X and P arose as the uppercase forms of the Greek letters Ï and Ï), used in ancient abbreviations for ΧÏιÏÏÎ¿Ï (Greek for "Christ") (see Labarum), and are still widely seen in many Eastern Orthodox icons depicting Jesus Christ.
2006-12-21 21:34:52 · answer #3 · answered by Jesus junkie 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I heard that 'X' in Xmas is short for Xristos which means 'Christ' as well. It's basically saying the same thing.
2006-12-21 21:48:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm Greek and I'm ashamed to say that I don't know the answer :(
2006-12-21 21:33:19 · answer #5 · answered by Tina 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you can research this on the net, wikipedia in particular. you are on the right track though...it DOESN"T mean as some try to say that we are trying to cross out Christ in christmas.
2006-12-21 21:37:44 · answer #6 · answered by atlas shrugged and so do i 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋