Halo of the Sun

The Halo of the Sun is the main symbol of the Order - a religious cult of Silent Hill. The symbol first appears in Silent Hill 3 and is featured in one form or another in multiple series installments afterwards.

This symbol has been borrowed by Silent Hill's cult from Indian traditions where the red circle represented the light of their main deity - the god of the Sun. With time it was established as a symbol of the religious organization - the Order, though it had numerous changes and significant additions. The Halo of the Sun carries deep meaning as it reflects ideas of resurrection, the God and the inner world. The symbol is usually drawn in red. Occasionally drawn in black or other colors, but blue reverses the meaning into a curse on God and is therefore forbidden.

Click on the symbol to learn its meaning:

Gallery

Vector Versions

Appearances

Silent Hill 2

A symbol resembling the Halo of the Sun can be found in one of the cells of Toluca Prison.

Silent Hill 3

The Halo of the Sun originally appears in Silent Hill 3 where it is first introduced as the seal of the Order. The symbol also acts a save point for the player and therefore appears very often throughout the game. Given that the crest of the religious organization symbolizes "resurrection" and "save and load" are perceived as a "cycle of rebirth," it seems that a link to the real world is created. After she understands the significance of the crest, Heather remarks, "Even if I die, it's not the end. That's certainly convenient, I think. But somehow... I can't help but feel that this is terribly unpleasant." The truth is that this is a message to the player. In short, it means "as far as the player is concerned starting over again and again is convenient, but for Heather herself, this is painful.

Silent Hill 4: The Room

The symbol is used as portals-holes through which Henry Townshend travels to other worlds and back to Room 302. The symbol can also be seen on various doors, on the Crested Medallion as well as on the loading screen.

Silent Hill: Origins

Travis Grady finds Alessa in the burning house lying on the Halo of the Sun. When he touches the symbol, Travis notices: "A strange symbol. Looking at it makes my head hurt." As Travis is saving Alessa Gillespie from her burning residence, the Halo of the Sun appears twice, putting out the flames. Any time a piece of the Flauros is revealed after the battle with a boss, it is always sitting in the center of a glowing Halo of the Sun symbol. After Flauros is completed Alessa is using the symbol to pass though a closed door. The Halo of the Sun is also depicted on the floor of the arena where Travis, trapped in the otherworld, fights the final boss while the Order performs a ritual with Alessa's body. In addition to this, the symbol appears on the first loading screen before the Konami logo and on "Game Over" screen. After you beat the game once you can change the flashlight projection to the Halo of the Sun.

Silent Hill: Homecoming

A simplified version of the seal acts as a save point similarly to Silent Hill 3. A giant depiction of the original Halo of the Sun can be seen on the floor of the main hall of the Church of the Holy Way in front of the altar.

Silent Hill: Downpour

Another simplified version of the symbol appears several times in Murphy Pendleton's Otherworld. It is depicted on large floor plates which deactivate or slow down the traps as well as on one of the three bells in the final puzzle at St. Maria's Monastery.

Silent Hill: Orphan

The symbol is found in the orphanage's bathroom where it is used as a portal between normal and otherworld versions of the location.

Silent Hill: Revelation

The Halo of the Sun is the mark of the Order in the film and appears multiple times. When Heather returns home, she finds the symbol on the wall along with the message prompting her to come to Silent Hill. She remembers the symbol from a box kept by her father which contains information on the town. The seal can also be seen imprinted on the assaulter's, who was killed by Chris in Portland, body. Vincent has the Halo of the Sun carved onto his chest as a means to come to this world from the otherworld. The seal is also seen on the floor of the Order's sanctuary in Silent Hill.

Comics

Halo of the Sun, introduced as the Brand of Samael in Silent Hill: Hunger, marks the followers of Samael. Halo of the Sun also appears in Silent Hill: Sinner's Reward and the splash screen of The Silent Hill Experience.

Heather's Commentaries

Here is a collection of Heather's commentaries from Silent Hill 3 when she interacts with save points represented by the Halo of the Sun throughout the game.

Mall Toilet
The mark on this mirror... It looks so familiar somehow. What do I know it from? Where did I once see it...? And... why does my head hurt so much when I try to remember it?

2nd Floor Storeroom (if you don't save in the toilet)
I've seen this pattern somewhere. And not just now, either. A long time ago...when was it? And where? And...why does my head hurt so much when I try to remember it?

2nd Floor Storeroom
It's like a magic circle. I remember reading about in a book on black magic. Does it seem so familiar because I read about it in that book? No, that's not it.... It's not the book... It's from the altar...... Altar? What am I thinking?

First Aid Room
This again.... Looking at it makes my head hurt, but at the same time, it's like, so familiar.... I know I've forgotten something really important..... But I also have the feeling that I'd be better off not remembering it.

Sports Shop
This pattern looks like it could have been drawn in blood. I bet it's some sort of cursed symbol. No wonder my head hurts and I feel so awful when I look at it.

In the Train
That symbol's drawn on the floor. Hope I don't get cursed just by stepping on it.

Platform (Unknown Station)
That old pattern's painted in here among the graffiti. It looks like it was just put here, too. But by whom? And why does my head...

Office Building 2F
That old familiar pattern is on a piece of paper stuck to the vending machine. Who the hell put it there? It's not like it's the latest fad or anything... right?

Apartment
What's this doing here! That really pisses me off. It's like having someone spit on your sacred place. Looking at that makes my head hurt. What does it mean...?

Motel
That's got to be a coincidence. But still, that's pretty weird... Who could have done this...?

Room C4
I saw that drawn on the dividing screens at the hospital. But this is different --- seems like it was drawn a long time ago. Somehow...

Fortuneteller
This symbol usually looks unnatural and weird... but here, it sort of seems to fit. It still makes me feel creepy though. Like someone peekin' into my brain...

Alessa's Room
I--no, it wasn't me. Alessa wrote this a long time ago. That chapel altar... It wasn't that one beautiful chapel. It was some other altar somewhere else.

References

About the Cult's Symbol (Silent Hill 3)
X: The Wheel of Fortune (Book of Lost Memories)
Old Hungarian alphabet (Wikipedia): image 1, image 2
Halo of the Sun (fan site by Dawid Job)
Silent Hill Plot Analysis (series analysis by SilentPyramid)
Halo of the Sun (Silent Hill Wiki)