Without hesitation, the Taranaki Cathedral Dean will be able to don a short-sleeved shirt and hit the beach with his family.

"It's incredibly liberating," said Allen, who has spent the past six years consciously covering the tattoos that cover much of his body.

Aware of the negative stereotypes tattoos still carried, Allen, 44, was reluctant to reveal his symbolic body art because of the sensitivity he had for his role at the Cathedral. Continue reading

A Greek Chi-Rho symbol can be found "hidden" on the inside of his left arm where the arm bends. The tattoo represents a time before Christianity was accepted and followers had to keep their faith a secret.

Tanksley believes many still hesitate to express their faith..

A knotted Celtic cross on his forearm pays homage to his faith and his Irish heritage. A black cross the size of a quarter can be found on his shoulder.

For Tanksley, the tattoos are an expression of his faith, an encouragement in times of trouble and act as a reminder that there's a higher power watching over him.

Tattoo artist and owner of Midnight Iguana Ron Hendon said faith-inspired tattoos make up a significant portion of his business. At least one person a week comes in asking for a faith tattoo, he said.

In addition to common Christian tattoos like crosses, doves and Bible verses, clients also have requested tribal looking crosses, images of Buddha, Bali images, the Hindu goddess Kali and Hindu symbols.

Hendon said he enjoys creating faith tattoos because they tend to be long lasting. Continue reading.

Source: Online Athens

Image: AJ Reynolds/Online Athens

Ioane, a Catholic, has turned his body into a work of art by decorating it with religious symbols alongside emblems of his homeland, Australia, and his family, plus a couple of exotic asides.

The result is rugby's answer to David Beckham - a living canvas in needle and ink. It started years ago with a pre-season tattoo and turned into something of a tradition, some might say obsession.

Among the most ornate of the dozen or so main tattoos is a detailed depiction of Jesus carrying the Cross. An extract from Psalm 18 can be read to one side of his impressive six-pack.

Nearby is an image of St Michael the Archangel, said to have led God's army against the forces of Satan.

See more photographs

Source

• The Daily Mail
• Image: DigbyIoane BlogSpot

"Into the Skin: identity, symbols and history of permanent body marks" was the brainchild of a Christian arts association and Israel's ambassador to the Holy See, an unlikely expert in the field given Judaism's prohibition of tattooing and the painful role that tattooed serial numbers played in the Holocaust.

Speaking about Maori Tattoos, Sean Mallon, senior curator of Pacific culture at the Museum of New Zealand said, "Even today, many players of New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team sport the traditional tattoos of the country's Maori indigenous peoples....It's a tangible way of expressing the past."

The conference, held at the Vatican's Pontifical Urbaniana University, just up the hill from St. Peter's Square, marked the first of its kind and participants marveled that it came together at all given that the study of tattooing is a relatively new field of serious academic research.

Source

• ABC News
• Image: TV3