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In addition, Christians' use of the sacred "Chi-Rho" Christogram was not always used is connection with the imperial labarum, but its use by Christians naturally evolved expanded into a variety of other areas and formats, including on as well. This included coins and medallions (minted during Constantine's reign and by subsequent rulers), becoming part of the official imperial insignia after Constantine, ); on Christian sarcophagi and frescoes from about 350 AD, ; and eventually appearing on public buildings and churches as well.
A miniature version of the labarum became part of the imperial regalia of [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] rulers, who were often depicted carrying it in their right hands. In the Middle Ages the pastoral staff of a bishop often had attached to it a small purple scarf known as the vexillum, supposedly derived from the labarumLabarum.<ref>''"Labarum."'' '''Encyclopædia Britannica.''' Encyclopædia Britannica 2009 Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009.</ref> The Chi-Rho monogram is also found on Eucharistic vessels and lamps.<ref>-----. ''"Chi Rho (XP)."'' In: Steffler, Alva William. '''Symbols of the Christian Faith.''' Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002. p.66.</ref>
→Later Usage
==Later Usage==
Later usage has sometimes regarded came to regard the terms "labarumLabarum" and "Chi-Rho" as synonyms (i.e. the labarum bearing the chi-rho symbol). Ancient synonymous, although ancient sources however draw an unambiguous distinction between the two, since the "Chi-Rho" [[w:Christogram|Christogram]] and the "Labarum" were not originally synonyms. As noted above, the labarum was originally a type of [[w:Vexillum|vexillum]], a military standard used in the Classical Era of the Roman Empire, with a flag hanging from a horizontal crossbar; the Chi-Rho Christogram was only added due to the flag by the Emperor [[Constantine the Great|Constantine I]] in the late Roman periodtheir separate origins.
A later Byzantine manuscript indicates that a jewelled labarum Labarum standard believed to have been that of [[Constantine the Great|Constantinethe Great]] was preserved for centuries, as an object of great veneration, in the imperial treasury at [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]].<ref>Lieu and Montserrat p. 118. From a Byzantine life of Constantine (BHG 364) written in the mid to late ninth century.</ref> The labarumLabarum, with minor variations in its form, was widely used by the Christian Roman emperors who followed Constantine I. A miniature version of the Labarum became part of the imperial regalia of [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] rulers, who were often depicted carrying it in their right hands.
In Greece, the "Holy Lavara" were a set of early national Greek flags, blessed by the [[Church of Greece|Greek Orthodox Church]]. Under these banners the Greeks united throughout the [[w:Greek War of Independence|Greek War of Independence]] (1821-32), a war of liberation waged against the Ottoman Empire.<ref group="note">The blessing of the standards recalls Constantine's use of the Labarum with the Chi-Rho Christogram before his battle with Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge, just over 1500 years earlier.</ref>
Today, the term "labarumLabarum" is generally used for any ecclesiastical banner, such as those carried in religious processions.<ref group="note">Some Protestant Christians (especially Restorationists) reject the use of Labarum Christogram due to its supposed pagan origins and lack of use by the earliest Christians. Supporters point out that use of the Labarum was in widespread use by Christians by the mid-fourth century, mostly on sarcophagi.</ref>
==Gallery==
