What Does the Anchor Symbol Mean in Christianity?
In Christianity, the anchor is a symbol of hope. It comes from Hebrews 6:19, which describes hope in God's promises as "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul". It is also one of the earliest Christian symbols, found carved and painted in the catacombs of Rome.
Origin of the word
The Greek word is ankura (pronounced AN-koo-rah), the ordinary word for a ship's anchor. It appears in the shipwreck in Acts 27, where sailors let down anchors to hold the ship through the night, and once more in Hebrews 6:19.
Where it appears in the Bible
"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain." Hebrews 6:19
The writer has just said that God's promise is unchanging and that "it is impossible for God to lie" (Hebrews 6:18). Hope, in the Bible, is not wishful thinking. It is fixed to something that will not move.
The anchor in early Christianity
Long before the cross became the common sign of the faith, early Christians used images like the fish, the dove and the anchor. The anchor appears on inscriptions and tombs in the catacombs of Rome. Many have also noticed the shape of a cross in it, in the crossbar of the shank.
What it means for us
An anchor does its work out of sight. You don't see it holding, you just notice that the boat isn't drifting. Hope in God is often like that: quiet, unseen, and steady when everything on the surface is moving.
Why the Anchor is a SEALED design
Our Anchor is icon-only, no words, because the symbol has carried its meaning for nearly two thousand years without needing any. It comes as a tee, a crewneck, an embroidered hoodie and a women's fitted tee.
Shop the Anchor Tee · Crewneck · Hoodie · Women's Fitted Tee
Questions people ask
What does the anchor symbolise in the Bible?
Hope that is secure because it rests on God's unchanging promise (Hebrews 6:17-19).
Is the anchor a Christian symbol?
Yes. It is one of the oldest, used by early Christians in Rome alongside the fish and the dove.
What does an anchor tattoo or necklace mean for Christians?
Usually the same thing as Hebrews 6:19: hope that holds, in Christ.
More words we wear
HE IS · SEALED · ABIDE · Selah
Written by Joel, founder of SEALED, a UK Christian clothing brand rooted in Ephesians 1:13. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.