The fish has been an important Christian symbol, not only because of the fact that Jesus included several fishermen in his inner circle but also because the initial letters of each word in the Greek phrase "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" form the word ΙΧΘΥΣ, ICHTHUS, which means fish. The Jesus fish is also know as the Ichthus fish or Ichthys fish.

The fish symbol preceded the cross by a century!