Christian Symbolism

The Language We Speak

With line, triangle, square, arc and circle we speak a language whose vocabulary is sign and symbol.
That is our craft.
This library has been designed by a Catholic memorial designer for fellow artists, drafters and designers. Although each definition is correct and true, each symbol is discussed in a casual manner intended for persons employing the symbol in their work.

What is this monument saying to us?

Start directly at the center.

"It is forever in our hearts, our faith, that through the 3 steps of faith, hope and charity we obtain the (chapel) embrace of Mother Church our salvation (the cross) and reunion with Christ (IHS.)  This is from the beginning until the end (alpha - Omega.) Built around our faith is our great earthly love for family (4 deep roses expressing deep love usually reserved for married couples.) Affirming and standing guard is our personal honor and dignity which is reflected by a civil and scholarly introspective individual (the gothics.)  All this is engraved within solid granite which will endure all forces forever."

  There is a difference between a sign and a symbol.  Signs depict physical objects, sensations, locations and circumstances. They are recognized - you must have first been exposed to the depiction or the sign has no meaning. Familiar signs are the Star, depicting a fiery sun off in space.  A traffic light, stop and go.  A yellow triangle with a lightning bolt, electrical hazard.  911, the end of continental isolation.

  Symbols are recognizable innate objects depicting mysteries - symbols require explanation simply because they depict the unexplainable. They are found in the continence of dreams, linger in meditation, are always geometric, and express the inexpressible and unexplained. They do not describe, explain, or resolve mysteries, they express only the transcendental reality of such phenomena. Symbols change with time, culture and personal experience. It is not the underlying mystery that changes or even the symbol itself. Those who employ the symbols find the mysteries in other places. As an example the people of Greece once made thunderous noise, held up candles and worshiped their god of Zeus with his thunderous lighting bolts.  Today, folks hold up candles and rock to the thunderous sounds of the rock star. It's the same mystery, the super man with a different, modern symbol/image. The cube - often drawn as 4 sides having six equal surfaces, 8 points and 12 joints (lines.) The TaiChi (Yin-Yang) - the depiction of many worlds which can be experienced from only one aspect (usually male or female.) Circles, lines and arcs are all the objects which fill our heads all the time. As the human mind approaches mysteries these objects modulate to form apparently (innate) familiar symbols to represent each mystery.  Articulation of a symbol is required.  Until you are told that the circle is a symbol of God, it is unfathomable as such.  Still it is the image which pops up when the concept of God shows itself in dreams, conversations, meditations and fine art.

  Index

All A

Adam

Alpha

Anchor

Animals

Ankh

Apple

Ass

All B

Babylon

Bed

Bee

Beehive

Bird

Blood 

Book / Bible

Brazen Serpent

Bread

Breath

Butterfly

All C

Candle

Chalice

Chair

City

Circle

Cock

Columbine
Corn
Column

Cow

Crescent Moon

Crook/crozier

Cross

ChiRho

All D

Darkness

Desert

Dolphin

Door

Dove

Dragon

Double Cube

All E

Eagle

Easter Egg

Eye

All F

Fall

Fire

Fish

Fleur de lis

Flowers

Foot

Fountain

Fruit

Furnace

All G

Garden

Garments

Gate

Globe

Gold

Goldfinch

Grail

Grapes

Guardians

Geometry

All H

Halo

Hand

Heart

All I

Iconostasis

Iris

All K

Key

King

All L

Labyrinth

Ladder

Lamb

Lamp
Large M

Leaven

Light

Lily

Lion

All M

Magi

Man

Mandorla

Manna

Marriage

Maze

All M

Milk

Mill / Millstone

Miter

Mirror

Moon

Mountain

All N

Net

Nimbus

All O

Oil

Olive tree

Omega

Oven / Furnace

Ox

All P

Palm

Paradise

Peacock

Pearl

Pelican

Pharisees

Phoenix

Pilgrimage

Pillar

Plough

Pomegranate

Promised Land

Q

Quatrefoil

All R

Rainbow

Right and left

Ritual

River

Robe

Rock

Rod

Rood

Room

Rosary

Rose

Rosette

Ruin

Rose Window

All S

Sacrament

Sadducees

Salt

Sea

Seed

Serpent

Shell

Shepherd

Shepherd's Cross

Ship

Ship of Fools

Shoe

Skull

Soul

Spirit

Stairs

Star

Star of David

Stone

Sun

Sword

All T

Temple

Thistle / Thorn

Throne

Tower

Tree

Trefoil

Trinity

All U

Unicorn

Unleavened

All V

Vase

Veil

Vesica piscis

Vine

Vineyard

All W

Water

Well

Whale

Wheel

Wheel of Fortune

Wilderness

Window

Wine

Winepress

Woman

Woodpecker

Word

Woven

All Z

Zodiac

All #'s

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Twelve

Fifteen

Forty