What does IHS mean?

Dennis Roberts founded IHS Studios in the autumn of 1982 with the mission of magnifying and honoring God through art. Since symbolism is an essential element in ecclesiastical art, Dennis gave careful consideration to its name.

IHS is an acronym that can be traced back to the 7th century in Christian literature. It represents the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus. Contemporary Christian churches frequently refer to "In His Service" as "IHS," which is a crucial reminder of our mission statement. 1

IHS is also a reference to “In hoc signo vinces,” a Latin phrase that translates as “in this sign thou shalt conquer,” or “in this, conquer.” This usage dates back to Lucius Caecillious Firianus Lactantius, an early Christian author and advisor to Constantine I. 2

Like the symbolism in our ecclesiastical art, IHS was selected to remind us always of our central mission, to devote our talents to the glory of God and create art that serves as a testament to our faith in the power that art can wield.