Elaborate crucifixes, kitschy prayer candles and colourful plastic rosaries – for centuries, Christianity has relied on aesthetics to communicate the Divine, drawing the faithful closer to something greater than themselves. But today, those disconnected from institutional systems are rekindling their personal connection to the sacred, not through pews or prayer halls but instead through tattoos of religious iconography.

In recent years, more individuals of faith have begun embracing religious tattoos as personal devotion. “Biblical angels have been my hyperfixation since high school,” says Noella, a 22-year-old artist and practising Catholic. Her tattoo of a throne angel with 44 eyes, and the phrase “fear not” reflects her connection to scripture. “The glitz and glam of Catholicism has always drawn me in… religion is art when done right.” Rediscovering faith after a bad relationship, her connection deepened, leading her to research the Bible as an adult. For Noella, a religious tattoo is a reminder to advocate for justice in the world, such as speaking out against the persecution of Palestinians and the transgender community, and against “fascism within the Christian community itself”.