I went to visit the "Italian hill" as my family calls it. The cemetery where all my Dads family is buried there is a little hill in the front corner , most of the Italian immigrants are there including my Great Grandparents. I was curious what the IHS symbols meant that I saw on my families head stones.
Research:
possible origin of the IHS monogram dates back to the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312; according to legend, the Roman emperor Constantine saw a symbol in the sky (it was a labarum or a cross, the stories differ) with the words "In Hic Signo" beneath it. "In Hoc Signo" is Latin for "In this sign", meaning that God was promising Constantine victory in exchange for his submission to Christ. Constantine accepted and ordered his soldiers to paint the sign of Christ (once again, a cross or labarum) on their shields... the next day, the battle was won.
Answer:
Contrary to popular belief, the "IHS" does not stand for "I have suffered". On the contrary, it is the first three letters for the spelling of Jesus in the Greek Language.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_'IHS'_mean_on_Christian_symbols
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