Who put the H in Jesus H. Christ?

Yeah, I always assumed it was “Holy.” I think I’ve even heard people say “Jesus Holy (F’ing) Christ.” Makes more sense to me than the tortuous JHC explanation given in the video. I grew up in the Protestant church and while I saw plenty of chi rho and IHS christograms, I never saw JHC. But maybe it’s a Catholic thing?

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While we’re on the topic of our favorite cover songs

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I’ve heard Herschel for this reason too.

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I always liked Christopher Moore’s explanation in his very funny book, “Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s childhood pal”


They stepped into the elevator and the Magdalene pushed the button for the lobby. “By the way, it was Hallowed,” she said.
“What was Hallowed?”
“The H. His middle name. It was Hallowed. It’s a family name, remember, ‘Our father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.’”
“Damn, I would have guessed Harvey,” Biff said.

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We always called him “Henry” in reference to the letters “INRI” on the cross in church.

“Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum” (“Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews”)

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One of my favorite books. Utterly Pratchettian.

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I’m pretty sure I saw that joke on Night Court.

That joke has been around as long as the existence of wise-ass, unblessed host-munching, altar boys (like me). :laughing:

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More importantly

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that’s good!
I’ve mentioned this before, but the writer Paul Beatty has a bit in The White Boy Shuffle where a rastafarian insists that INRI means “I, Negro, Rule I-ternally,” the final “I” exchanged from “E” in rasta-speak.
one of many memorable moments in that book.

He was pretty quiet about his car, though. “For I did not speak of my own Accord…” John 12:49

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