What does the acronym IHS mean?

There are several contexts in which we often find the symbol IHS, an abbreviation that many think refers to the words “Iesus Hominum Salvator” or “In Hoc Signo.” The Christogram IHS is a symbol that clearly has ancient origins in time and it is actually a short form of Christ's name. It takes the first 3 initial letters of his full name, which in Greek is ΙΗΣΟΥΣ.

In the early days this Christian symbol, as well as many others, was secret and carried only on faithful's graves. It was starting from the 15th Century that it started to spread, thanks to the promotion of the Most Holy Name of Christ made by St. Bernardine of Siena. It further spread thanks to St. Ignatius of Loyola who, starting in 1541, decided to adopt the monogram as the symbol of his own Jesuit order.

THE IHS SYMBOL ON VESTMENTS AND LITURGICAL SUPPLIES

Nowadays there are many different linen Mass sets with IHS embroidery, as well as liturgical chasubles and stoles. This symbol, however, is not only carried on sacred vestments, but is also often engraved on chalices and ciboriba, thus wanting to remind us of the omnipresence of the Lord in objects of daily use by priests. No less common is the appearance of this Christogram also on altars, tabernacles and religious articles worn by the faithful. While in the early centuries of Christianity this symbol was secret and rarely displayed, today it can be found in different products. (Cosa significa il monogramma IHS?)