Sacred heart tattoos represent personal rebirth. Even though they originated as a Christian symbol, sacred heart tattoos can be worn by anyone no matter their level of religious devotion.
Each sacred heart tattoo is designed differently, but includes similar imagery personalized to represent the wearer. From classical renditions of the sacred heart design to contemporary interpretations, there are so many ways to wear a sacred heart.
Check out our broken heart tattoos article for more inspiration as well.
1. Coeur de Fleurs (Heart of Flowers)
This heart catches the eye due to it’s bold line work and use of skin to execute a high contrast design. It’s a much more contemporary take on the classic sacred heart.
2. Delicate Heart
Beautifully drawn and shaded, this heart has a halo of daggers plunged into it. The knife style and stippling used to shade are reminiscent of medieval times, giving it a historic or otherworldly feel.
3. Bleeding Heart
This heart is an Old School, or American Traditional, interpretation of Sacred Hearts.
It includes flames, daggers, flowers, and blood, checking off almost every box for a sacred heart design with a brightly colored twist.
4. All Seeing Eye Heart
Another contemporary twist on the Sacred Heart, using a design style and image from the US Dollar.
Its placement on the sternum and inclusion of a non-traditional element makes this tattoo stand out.
5. Portrait Heart
The portrait within this heart makes it unique. With a cross atop her flower crown, the tattoo is a cheeky nod to the Queen of Hearts.
6. Heart in Hands
The placement of the heart, being offered out of their chest, gives it a macabre energy. Its execution, from an artistic standpoint, is incredible.
7. Small Sacred Heart tattoo
This simple heart on the inside of the hand is an intimate symbol designed to be seen by the wearer and revealed to others.
8. Old School Meets New School Heart
The line work in the flames and drops of blood have a vintage feel.
The rest of the tattoo; the roses, dagger, and heart are stippled, pulling the design away from the graphic style that embodies traditional tattoos.
9. Mexican Style Sacred Heart Tattoo
With its saturated colors and geometric embellishments, this heart has an undeniable Chicano Tattoo style. The Sacred Heart in Mexican Catholic culture symbolizes love of humanity and the flames represent passion.
10. Film Noir Heart
This tattoo is delicate and odd, giving off a ‘A Clockwork Orange’ vibe – it’s watching you. The lines are confident, and it includes flourishes that lean into a Victorian-era sensibility.
11. Sacred Heart Chest Tattoo
This tattoo weaves in and out of styles, the eye is realistically rendered, the daggers have a more hand-drawn feel, and the blood drops are graphic silhouettes. There is more to see the longer you look at it.
12. Saturated Heart
This heart is a statement piece. With it’s bright red shading and bold black lines, it’s a confident design that easily stands alone.
13. Classic MOM Heart
Charming, simple design that combines the Sacred Heart and familiar MOM tattoo for a fun twist. It’s making me want to get a MOM heart just looking at it!
14. Illustrated Heart
This design uses the heart and its placement as a window to the wearer’s soul. It shows an angel, or cherub, flying into their heart. It’s shaded like renaissance illustrations giving it a classical feel.
15. Sacred Heart Hand Tattoo
The shape of the hand is so similar to a heart. This tattoo artist used the halo of light around the heart intuitively to maximize the available space.
16. Dark Heart
A classic heart all around, except the tendrils that run through it and wiggle on the underside of the heart, making it dark and a little creepy.
17. Comic Book Heart
This tattoo is a contemporary take on Sacred Heart Tattooing using Roy Lichtenstein’s art style. It has a graphic comic feel to it but is cute given its shape, however there are none of the classic Sacred Heart motifs.
18. Jeweled Heart
Another signifier of a contemporary sacred heart is the inclusion of jewels, in this case the whole heart is a ruby cradled by gold spindles.
19. Bold Heart
This new American tattoo gives a tough, protected energy to the sacred heart. The silhouetted thorns surrounding it like a fence are sleek and intimidating.
20. Botanical Heart
The style of this heart is based on botanical illustrations, offering a realistic depiction of a heart that is softened by flowers erupting from it. It has an undeniably feminine quality to it.
