Signum fidei
“Sign of faith.”
Motto of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle)
What does “Signum fidei” mean?
Signum fidei translates as “Sign of faith.”
The phrase asks members to be a visible sign of faith through how they live and teach. It is a call to make belief recognizable in action.
“Signum fidei” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Signum | sign, mark | nominative singular neuter of signum, “sign”; the subject or predicate noun of the phrase |
| fidei | of faith | genitive singular feminine of fides, “faith, trust”; the genitive (case of “of”) says what the sign belongs to |
How to pronounce “Signum fidei”
In Classical Latin g is always hard, so signum is SIG-noom. In Church Latin gn sounds like the ny in “canyon”. Stress the first syllable of signum and the middle syllable of fidei in both.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “a sign of faith”. There is no verb, so it works as a label or a motto rather than a full sentence. The grammar is classical, but the phrase is at home in Church Latin.
It is the motto of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the teaching order founded by Saint John Baptist de La Salle. The Brothers are known as the De La Salle Brothers, and their approach to education is called Lasallian.
The motto is also used by many Lasallian schools around the world. It expresses the idea that a teacher or student should make belief visible through daily conduct and teaching, not only through words.
How to use “Signum fidei”
Best suited to Lasallian contexts: a school pin or crest, a gift for a teacher or Brother, a graduation or confirmation card. It also fits any message about living out one’s faith in visible ways.
- Latin
- Signum fidei
- English
- Sign of faith.
- Source
- Motto of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle)
- Era
- Church Latin
- Theme
- Faith
Common mistakes
- Fidei is genitive, “of faith”. The nominative is fides, so “Signum fides” is wrong.
- Signum can mean “sign”, “seal” or “standard”. Here “sign” is the sense; “banner of faith” would be a different phrase.
- It is not a classical Roman saying. It is a motto of a Christian teaching order, so do not present it as ancient.
Questions about “Signum fidei”
What does “Signum fidei” mean?
It means “sign of faith”. Signum is “sign” and fidei is the genitive of fides, “faith”.
Who uses “Signum fidei” as a motto?
The Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers), founded by Saint John Baptist de La Salle, and many Lasallian schools.
How do you pronounce “Signum fidei”?
Classical: SIG-noom fih-DAY-ee. Church Latin: SEEN-yoom fee-DEH-ee. The Church version is the one used in religious settings.
Is “Signum fidei” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is grammatically correct, with signum in the nominative and fidei in the genitive, and it needs no verb.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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