Sacred art
Sacred art is true and beautiful when its form corresponds to its particular vocation: evoking and glorifying, in faith and adoration, the transcendent mystery of God - the surpassing invisible beauty of truth and love visible in Christ, who "reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature," in whom "the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." This spiritual beauty of God is reflected in the most holy Virgin Mother of God, the angels, and saints. Genuine sacred art draws man to adoration, to prayer, and to the love of God, Creator and Savior, the Holy One and Sanctifier.--CCC2502
Catholic symbolism is an artistic representation, an outward expression, or object, that has shades of various, often hidden meanings. The symbols help explain and are rooted in the Bible. They help spread the word of God to people who can not read or understand written word. They are represented throughout the church, on the candles, the vestments, in the sacraments, the stained glass and even in the cemeteries.
In the early Church during the times of Christian persecution, the use of symbols was very often. It was a means of being identified as belonging to Christ, witnessing to other Christians. It was a form of a password in times of persecution.
Christian symbols can be seen carved upon the graves and walls of the early Christian catacombs in Rome, especially St Priscilla, Domitilla, and Calixtus. See below...
By taking time to reflect upon each individual symbol we are brought into timeless contact with our brothers and sisters of the Christian Faith down through the ages and here it is important to remember our Catholic teaching on the Communion of Saints, all those past and present: theChurch her on earth, the Church Suffering in Purgatory, and the Church Victorious in Heaven — all alive to one another, praying, interceding for one another.
Our Christian symbols could be used much more creatively within the faith formation field where children, and those young in the faith, will grasp them in their beautiful simplicity and begin to appreciate the profound meaning within them, for each contains a entire treasury of thought, a repository of the experience of life in the Faith in its many joyful, painful and hopeful dimensions.
Some of the
Alpha & Omega
The Alpha and the Omega — the Beginning and the End
Jesus is the beginning and the end
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).
The Anchor and the Cross
The anchor has always been a sign of safety, hope, and security, for its primary function is that of mooring a ship or boat. The safety of a ship in specific dangerous waters could depend entirely on its ability to throw the anchor and stabilize the ship. The early Christians combined the symbol of the anchor with that of the Cross, thus proclaiming that Christ and His saving Passion were the one true security, the one sure way to attain Heaven, in times of persecution this symbol was a powerful image to those caught up in the various reigns of terror.
The Ship
Many of the early Church Fathers refer to the Barque, the ship of Peter, the symbol of the ship represents Holy Mother Church upon the high seas of life.
It is the nature of a ship that it is always on a journey, it has a destination and a purpose. It will traverse many dangerous waters and pass through many trials but with Jesus (our Compass) we will arrive upon the Eternal Shore.
The Ship
There comes a ship a-sailing
with angels flying fast;
She bears a splendid cargo
and has a mighty mast.
This Ship is fully laden
Right to her highest board;
She bears the Son from Heaven
God's High Eternal Word.
Upon the sea unruffled
The Ship moves into shore
To bring us all the riches
She has within her store.
And that Ship's name is Mary
Of flowers the rose is she
And brings us to her baby
From sin to set us free.
The Ship made in this fashion
In which such store was cast
Her sail is love's sweet Passion
The Holy Ghost her mast.
The Fish
The symbol of the fish has been used from very early Christian times (second century) — it can be found in the Catacombs of St. Callistus (our16th Pope).
The Greek word for fish is ICHTHYS.
Iesous (Jesus) Xristos (Christ) Theou (God) Yios (Son) Sotare (Savior) the Greek letters are Iota, Chi, Theta, Upsilon, Sigma
The Chi Rho monogram
This is a Greek abbreviation of the title, “Christ”.
“Chi” and “Rho” are the first two letters in the Greek word Christos or “Christ”.
In Greek capital letters they appear as“X” and “P”.
In Greek Chiro, to anoint, and in Hebrew mashah denoted a cultic consecration. Through consecration, a king, a priest, a prophet, an altar were specially set part. The anointing would confer the Holy Spirit's power, making Him (Christ) the anointed one, in Hebrew, the Messiah of the Lord.
The Christogram: IC XC NIKA
Often seen on both Greek and Russian Icons. They form the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, Iota-Eta-Sigma, or ΙΗΣ
It stands for Christ the Conqueror, from the Greek contractions IC (Jesus), and XC (Christ); Nika is Greek for Conqueror.
The Christogram: IHS
A Christogram for the name of Jesus using the first three letters of the word in Greek. The Greek Christogram ΙΗΣΟΥΣ (IHSOUS) for Jesus, and in Latin Iesus Hominum Salvator, “Jesus Savior of mankind.”
JESUS, the only Name under heaven by which we may be saved. Jesus, the Holy Name, the name so loved by so many Saints of the Church. It is said of St. Francis of Assisi that when he uttered the Holy Name, he licked his lips, for he said the name of Jesus contained such sweetness.
The Crucifix or Cross
Most well known and most loved of the Christian symbols is the simple sign of the Cross with the Corpus Figure of Christ.
A simple Cross or Crucifix is a sign of salvation and hope, a reminder of the jewel of our Christian faith, we are also comforted in our belief in its power to defend us from evil and to overcome the great adversary, the devil and his demons.
“We adore you O Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!”
The Lamp
In the time of Jesus the lamp was molded out of clay, it was round and flat, had a pinching on one side to contain the wick, and was fuelled with olive oil. (Olive oil had many uses and was considered precious, as it was a valued foodstuff, also it was a source of light, it could alleviate pain, cleanse wounds, strengthen the sick, and mixed with perfume it was offered to guests as a sign of respect).
The Lamp once lit, was placed on a stand and was never permitted to go out, it burned, bringing warThe Christogram:The Christogram:mth and light within the house day and night. It was also regarded as being made for enlightenment, and could symbolize vigilance, the prophetic word, and the presence of God. It was a reminder to the Jew of the Holy Tabernacle, and so therefore had deep religious significance.
Judaism was the cradle of Christianity, and the light that burnt before the Tabernacle in the wilderness was a forerunner to the Vigil Light that ever burns before Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Lamps and lights have been used symbolically to represent the life and existence of the soul, both among the living and the dead.
Jesus Christ is the Light of the World, the Light of the cosmic world and the light of our inner world; He is the Light that the darkness can never extinguish. His word is a lamp to our path (Ps. 118). Lights are signs of hope, symbols that draw us to the Eternal Light. A wonderful image of the vigilance of the faithful awaiting the Second-Coming of Christ is found in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (Saint Matthew 25:1-13).
The Crown of Laurels
The Laurel figures largely in history, even to this day. The Laurel is an evergreen tree which carries large, oval, hardy leaves.
“Have you learned anything from the stadium? Many run, but only one gets the prize. Run, therefore intending to win it, as athletes who impose on themselves a rigorous discipline. Yet for them the wreath is of laurels that wither, while we run for a wreath that will never die.”(1 Corinthians 9.24) We have all seen the recent spectacle of the Olympic Games in Greece and elsewhere, the efforts that all participating had to make, but they kept the goal ever in view. So we, too, need to keep our eyes on Jesus, and run ahead for the crown that awaits us in Heaven.
Let us keep the goal in mind, let us keep our eyes on Jesus, heaven awaits us, all is passing ... Jesus will be our prize and the joy of the Blessed Kingdom.
The Lion
The lion is considered to be the “King” of all beasts, no doubt due to its great muscular power and agility, its strength and ability to dominate all other species. In its natural habitat it is indeed a magnificent creature.
Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was a descendant of the principal tribe of Israel, the tribe of Judah. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The word Judah means, praise. He is the one to Whom all praise and honor are due, He is the Lion enthroned upon the praises of Israel. Jesus is the ruler, the King to Whom rightly belongs the blessing of Jacob.
“Judah, a young lion! You return from the prey, my son! Like a lion he stoops and crouches, and like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? The scepter shall not be taken from Judah, nor the rulers staff between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs, and who has the obedience of the nations.”(Gen. 49.9-11 )
The most beautiful usage of the lion imagery in recent years are the allegorical stories of C.S Lewis, “The Chronicles of Narnia”, in which the main figure is the lion, Aslan, (an image of Christ). These stories are in one way timeless, showing the fight between good and evil, of which Aslan is always the victor. The central theme of, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” within the Narnia Chronicles is the Pascal mystery.
The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered!
The Stag (Deer)
The stag has come to typify piety and religious aspiration and longing. The Stag symbolizes solitude, prayer and purity.
“As a Deer longs for running streams, so my souls longs for You O, God. My soul thirsts for the living God.”
(Psalm 42)
The Keys of the Kingdom
The Keys, permitting the opening and closing of doors, symbolizes the one who possesses authority and dominion over a kingdom.
The power of the keys was given to St. Peter by Jesus Christ himself;
The power of the keys is the supreme authority vested in the pope as successor of St. Peter. St. Peter is always represented in Christian art with two keys in his hand, they are consequently the insignia of the papacy, and are borne saltire-wise, one of Gold and the other of Silver.
The supreme Pontiff has the God-given authority to open or close the doors on the Treasury of the Faith and its practice, and to unlock and reveal the truth to us as children of the Church. Ours is to offer loving obedience to the Church, obedience in the fullest sense of the word of listening and putting what we hear into practice.
The Peacock
Used in art very early into the Christian era, it decorated some of the tombs and walls in the actual catacombs. The Peacock represented immortality, this stemmed from the ancient legend that the flesh of the peacock did not decay, thus its association with the Resurrection of Christ. In addition the “multitude of eyes" upon its stunningly beautiful fan tail, suggested the all-seeing eye of God and that of the Church.
It is a great pity that this colorful and captivating bird is mostly associated in our minds as a symbolism of pride, “Proud as a Peacock".
“By the Peacock!”, was once a common oath which was thought to be sacred, precisely because of it being a type of the Resurrection.
The Eagle
A magnificent bird with a large wingspan. It nests in inaccessible rocky crags, in high places, which make it a symbol of heavenly beings.
Job asked of God,“Is it at Your command that eagles fly, and build their nest on high?” (Job 39.27)
An Eagle in the heraldic language stands for fortitude.
The eagle in Christian art is emblematic of St. John the Evangelist, because like the eagle he looked upon, “the sun of glory.” The Word of God has the power to raise us up on eagles wings and bring us to Heaven.
The Lily
Symbol of chastity, innocence and purity.
In pictures of the Annunciation, or Salutation, the Archangel Gabriel is sometimes depicted holding a Lily branch, or Mary herself is clasping a Lily, or there is a Lily in the vicinity.
There is an old tradition that the Lily sprang from the repentant tears of Eve as she went forth from paradise. Here Mary can be seen as the New Eve, the Mother of life, who bore the fruit that redeemed us all from sin and every fall.
The Lily in the language of flowers means, “Majesty”. The Lily as we know it today is a trumpet like flower, stately and noble. Its large petals open and surrender to the light. It exudes a beautiful perfume, and bears a high pollen yield. The white Lily when it is full open resembles a star. It is a flower of great beauty and it is easy to see why artists have so often placed it within pictures of the Holy Virgin.
A solitary symbol can be a great focus for reflection and prayer, perhaps you would like to obtain a Lily and place it at your shrine, prayer space, or take to the classroom. A lily is not very easy to draw but a symbolic Lily could easily be made out of white paper. It could be a catechetical focus and also to give added meaning; put, or ask the children to place their prayer petitions in its centre and then present the flower to Mary ... pray and use these symbols creatively. They blossom, all of them, in eternity.
“Blessed is the fruit of thy womb!”
Jesus and Mary
Signifying the union between Jesus and Mary: Jesus Christ in the Incarnation took His flesh from Mary even while He remained eternally God with the Father. Hence, we state in the Nicene Creed that Jesus is True God and True Man.
The Lamb
The Sacrificial Lamb of God — Jesus Christ
“The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and he said: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sin of the world.” (St. John 1.29)
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A lesson Plan for catechists from Sophia Institute: Sacred Spaces: St Peter’s Basilica
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