The Virgin Mary is one of the most revered symbols in Christian and Islamic traditions. It has long gone beyond religion and found its place in other areas of our lives. One example is the culture of tattooing.
For the first time, sailors began to receive tattoos of the Virgin Mary in the American traditional style. They often swam into unknown waters of the seas. Since any danger could await them there, they needed some amulets. As it was, the sailors began to get the Virgin Mary tattoo. Such a design was both a talisman and a reminder that a mother, girlfriend, wife, sister, or grandmother was waiting for them at home.
Also, in the 40s of the 20th century, criminals received tattoos of the Virgin Mary. This symbol showed their belonging and loyalty to the particular gang or meant that the owner began a life of crime in his youth.
Nowadays, this tattoo has gone beyond the scope of marine and the underworld and is rapidly gaining popularity. Therefore, we have collected 60+ Virgin Mary tattoo ideas, explained their meanings, and pointed out why people love this design.
“Mary is close, she can hear us, she can help us, she is close to every one of us.”
– Pope Benedict 16th, Homily.
Virgin Mary Tattoo Meaning
The central meaning of the Virgin Mary tattoo is mother and motherhood. Most of us want to be closer to her, hear her advice, help in times of need, or meet after a long separation. Also, such a tattoo can symbolize our desire to do everything to make our mother proud of us or personify the bitter loss of a loved one.
To summarize, the Virgin Mary tattoo has the following meanings:
- 🙏 Hope for the best in difficult times;
- 🙏 Protection from the dangers that await us on the path of life;
- 🙏 Sincere love;
- 🙏 Comfort;
- 🙏 Purity of thought.
Apart from the classic Virgin Mary design, you can get it with an additional baby or heart element. These ideas have the following meanings:
- 👼 Virgin Mary with a baby – purity of thoughts, the openness of soul, fidelity to friendship or duty, tenderness, beauty, femininity, and pure love.
- ❤️ Virgin Mary with a heart on her chest – the eternal love of the Virgin Mary for humanity, her kindness, and readiness to always protect even sinners.
Why Do People Choose Virgin Mary Tattoo Designs?
In most cases, people choose particular tattoo designs because of their beauty. However, with the Virgin Mary symbol, everything is not so simple. The primary reasons for choosing this design are as follows:
- Charm. The Virgin Mary is one of the most sacred symbols. It protects its wearer from the evil eye, sins, and wrong life choices. This interpretation is from the Bible: the Virgin Mary holds baby Jesus in her arms.
- The memory of a loved one. Those people who have lost a loved one also get Virgin Mary designs. It is also related to the story from the Bible: the Virgin Mary holds the dying Jesus in her arms and mourns for him.
60+ Virgin Mary Tattoo Ideas
We have already learned the history of the Virgin Mary symbol used in tattoos, its meaning, and the reasons for using it. However, we still have not seen the most popular designs.
We analyzed user requests and found that most people are looking for the best Virgin Mary tattoo designs on different body parts in various styles. Therefore, based on this data, we have collected 60+ Virgin Mary tattoo ideas for you.
Let’s get down to choosing a design.
Simple
Simple Virgin Mary tattoo designs have a minimum of elements. People get them in the fine line style, which is characterized by the presence of thin lines. Such ideas require high professionalism and special needles for a tattoo machine. The design will be thick and sloppy if they are used incorrectly.
You can choose a tattoo of the Virgin Mary in the form of a girl silhouette and add elements of a halo or a cross. Regarding the first, this word from Latin means radiance. Therefore, a tattoo of the Virgin Mary with a halo will signify that you are a bright personality. As for the cross symbol, it means accepting one’s destiny and self-sacrifice.
On The Arm
The Virgin Mary tattoo on the arm has several advantages over others:
- – Round shape. It allows you to make a three-dimensional design.
- – Lots of space. You can get complex medium or large designs.
- – Simple care. The tattoo on the arm is protected from ultraviolet radiation and moisture. Therefore, your design will not fade.
- – Less pain. The presence of fat and muscle will reduce pain during tattooing.
On The Neck
It is believed that the tattoo on the neck is the hallmark of a person. The drawing on this body part is almost always visible to people around. Moreover, not every person will decide to get a tattoo on the neck because the pain from the process will be significant. Therefore, people often opt for the Virgin Mary neck tattoo designs as a tribute to loved ones.
On The Hand
The hands are perhaps the most visible part of the body after the face. Therefore, every person will notice your Virgin Mary tattoo. In this case, it is crucial to understand the meaning of additional elements. Below, we list the interpretations of the most popular:
Candle
- 🕯️ The transience of life;
- 🕯️ The desire to have time to realize all your dreams;
- 🕯️ Harmony between the spiritual and physical world.
Virgin Mary and Jesus
- 👼 Purity of thoughts;
- 👼 Loyalty;
- 👼 Truthfulness.
Crown of thorns
- 👑 Sacrifice;
- 👑 Love;
- 👑 Compassion;
- 👑 Innocence;
- 👑 Striving for a free life.
On The Back
The back is one of the largest body parts, covering 18% of the total area. Therefore, you can get the design of the Virgin Mary of any size and complexity of implementation. It can be a full-length symbol of the Virgin Mary, a plot using other characters, or many complementary symbols.
One of the significant additional symbols is the rose. Depending on the color, it has the following meanings:
- 🔴 Red – passion and love;
- ⚪ White – innocence and fidelity;
- ⚫ Black – separation and sadness.
On The Shoulder
Shoulder tattoos have the same benefits as arm designs. You can also extend these ideas to other body parts and form a complete composition. For example, you can add a dove symbol to your Virgin Mary tattoo.
This element is symbolic because most icons depicting Jesus are complemented by white doves. It will have the following meanings:
- 🐦 Absolution;
- 🐦 Forgiveness;
- 🐦 Integrity;
- 🐦 Cleansing.
On The Chest
From time immemorial, a person’s chest has been considered the gateway to his heart and soul. Therefore, the meaning of the Virgin Mary tattoo on this place of the body will be even more symbolic.
Also, the chest is a relief part of the body that allows you to get a three-dimensional design from small to large sizes. The presence of fat and muscles reduces pain during a session in a tattoo parlor.
Sleeve
The Virgin Mary sleeve tattoo is one of the most difficult to perform. However, if you find a qualified tattoo artist, he will be able to bring any of your ideas to life and make people turn around and sigh with delight at the sight of your sleeve design.
Also, there are several designs of sleeves depending on the size:
- A quarter of the sleeve – the pattern occupies half of the shoulder or forearm;
- Half sleeve – the tattoo is pricked from the elbow to the wrist or from the elbow to the shoulder;
- Full sleeve – the pattern covers the entire arm entirely.
Chicano
The Chicano style originated on the streets of Los Angeles in criminal districts. However, this did not play a cruel joke but, on the contrary, gave expressive features to the designs. It made Chicano one of the most recognizable styles.
The distinctive features of Chicano Virgin Mary tattoos are:
- Use of black and gray colors;
- The drawing style is similar to graffiti;
- Religious designs, inscriptions, and girl tattoos are the main subjects.
American Traditional
The American traditional style originated in the mid-19th century after sailors traveled to the islands of Polynesia. There, travelers saw unusual drawings on the bodies of the natives and decided to spread this idea to the masses.
American traditional Virgin Mary tattoos have the following distinctive features:
- Wide black contours;
- The brightness of colors;
- The presence of 2-3 additional colors: green, red, or blue;
- Use of popular plots.
Crying
The crying Virgin Mary tattoo has a deep meaning. It is one of the main symbols of forgiveness. Such designs people should get in two cases:
- If they are an apology and atonement for their mistakes and sins in the past;
- If they want to capture the sadness that made them who they are today.
Day Of The Dead
The Day of the Dead Virgin Mary tattoo is dedicated to deceased loved ones and the absence of fear of death. Such designs are often embellished with sugar and patterns that lend a moody and perhaps depressing design a touch of color and cheerfulness.
Summary
The Virgin Mary tattoo is not just a beautiful design to get because of its attractive appearance. It is an idea that conveys deep underlying meaning. Moreover, the Virgin Mary has other additional elements that enhance the composition symbolism.
It can be problematic to understand their definitions because there are many designs. Therefore, in this article, we have collected 60+ Virgin Mary tattoo ideas, figured out their meanings, and found out why people choose them.
FAQ
❓ What Does the Virgin de Guadalupe Tattoo Mean?
The Virgin de Guadalupe tattoo is a symbol of respect, pride, love, protection, and strength.
🤔 What Does the Virgin Mary Symbol Mean?
The Virgin Mary tattoo means hope for the best in difficult times, protection from the dangers that await us on the path of life, sincere love, comfort, and purity of thought.
🙏 What Does a Jesus Tattoo Mean?
The Jesus Christ tattoo means a commitment to religion, faith, selflessness, repentance for past sins, and a willingness to lead a righteous life.
