Saint symbology
From Open Encyclopedia
Symbology of the Saints
The Catholic Church has used symbols from its very beginnings. Each saint has a story and a reason why he or she led an exemplary life. Symbols have been used to tell these stories throughout the history of the Church. A number of Christian saints are traditionally represented by a symbol or icon affiliated with their life, in order to identify them.
The lives of most saints are far removed from an ordinary worshipper’s life. The use of a symbol with a statue, or icon, of a saint reminds people who is being shown and of their story.
The following is a list of some of those symbols.
[edit]
The list
| Contents |
|---|
[edit]
A
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Acathius | crown of thorns |
| Agatha | tongs, veil |
| Agnes | lamb |
| Ambrose | bees, beehive, dove, ox,pen |
| Andrew | transverse cross |
| Anne, grandmother of Jesus | door,book, red robe and green mantle |
| Anthony the Great | bell, pig |
| Anthony of Padua | Infant Jesus, bread, book, lily |
| Augustine of Hippo | dove, child, shell, pen |
[edit]
B
[edit]
C
[edit]
D
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Daniel | lion |
| Denis | head in hands |
| David of Wales | harp |
| Dorothy of Caesarea | flowers |
| Dominic | rosary, star |
[edit]
E
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Edmund | quiver of arrows |
| Elijah | cave |
| Elizabeth of Hungary | alms, flowers, bread, the poor, pitcher |
| Elizabeth of Portugal | crown |
| Erasmus | windlass |
| Eustace | hunting clothes, stag |
[edit]
F
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Francis of Assisi | wolf,birds, fish,skull, stigmata |
| Francis Xavier | crucifix, bell, vessel |
[edit]
G
[edit]
H
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Helena | cross |
[edit]
I
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Ignatius of Loyola | communion, chasuble, book |
| Isadore | bees, pen |
[edit]
J
[edit]
K
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
[edit]
L
[edit]
M
[edit]
N
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Nicholas | three purses or balls, anchor, boat, child |
[edit]
O
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
[edit]
P
[edit]
Q
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
[edit]
R
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Raphael | fish |
| Rita of Casica | rose, crucifix, thorn |
| Roch | angel, dog, bread |
| Rose of Lima | crown of thorns, anchor, city |
[edit]
S
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Sebastian | arrows, crown |
| Simon | crossed oars, saw |
[edit]
T
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Teresa of Avila | heart, arrow, book |
| Theodore | crocodile |
| Therese of Lisieux | roses entwining a crucifix |
| Thomas Aquinas | chalice monstrance, dove, ox |
| Thomas the Apostle | lance, axe |
| Thomas More | axe |
[edit]
U
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
[edit]
V
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Victor of Marseilles | windmill |
| Vincent de Paul | children |
| Vincent Ferrer | pulpit, cardinal's hat, trumpet, captives |
| Vitus | cross |
[edit]
W
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
[edit]
X
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
[edit]
Y
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
[edit]
Z
| Saint | Symbol |
|---|---|
[edit]
Notes
[edit]
See also
- List of canonizations, for a list of Catholic canonizations by date
- Calendar of saints
- Doctor of the church
- List of Christians
- Patron saint
- Martyrology
[edit]
