This week in review:

• Maitland Art Center - The education begins when the 25 students ranging in age from 8 to 14 gather in a small outdoor theatre adorned with Hispanic carvings of various catholic symbols. The speaker is Nancy Rosado, a local aspiring artist who was born in …
• Spain: Nativity Scene Removed « International Religious Freedom News - There is a continued debate over secularism in Spain, where Catholic symbols remain prominent in public life 30 years after the end of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco who had established Catholicism as a “state religion. …

This music video, featuring the song “Behold the Cross” by Gary Pinto & Phil Turcio, gives a snapshot of the thousands of places these two powerful Catholic symbols have visited around the globe during its 21-year-long pilgrimage.

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Many animals and fowl have special symbolic meaning to the early Christian church especially when Christians were an “underground society” worshiping in secret meeting places to avoid persecution.

We’ve already looked at the ICHTHUS Fish symbol in a previous post.  Other great symbols of early Christianity included the Lamb, Dove, Peacock, Phoenix and even the unicorn.  Today we will look at the symbolism behind the Pelican.

The Pelican is a Christian symbol of Christ as the Redeemer having shed His blood on the cross for the forgiveness of sins.  The pelican was believed to draw blood from her chest and feed the blood to its young.  In the hymn Pelican of Mercy, St Thomas Aquinas wrote “Pelican of Mercy, cleanse me in Thy Precious Blood.

Similarly, the Pelican symbolizes the Eucharist, where the bread and wine is transfigured into the body and blood of Christ.

Today, the emblems of both Corpus Christi College in Cambridge and Corpus Christi College in Oxford are pelicans.  Corpus Christi means “the body of Christ”.

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Many Christian denominations do not pay that much attention to the Epiphany of Jesus Christ.  The Epiphany event occurred shortly after Jesus was born in Bethlehem and is celebrated by the Catholic church on January 6th of each year.  It commemorates the day when the magi, the three kings came to pay homage to Christ, the king.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church the Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Savior of the world.

The three kings, the wise men if you will, symbolizes the acceptance of Jesus as the salvation of the world through the Incarnation. Their journey to Israel in order to pay homage to Jesus shows that they sought the one who would be king of all nations.  Their coming means that pagans can discover Jesus and worship him as Son of God and Savior of the world.

Here’s what Pope Benedict said in his homily at the Vatican, last year, during the celebration of the feast of the Epiphany:

“The light that shone in the night at Christmas illuminating the Bethlehem Grotto, where Mary, Joseph and the shepherds remained in silent adoration, shines out today and is manifested to all. The Epiphany is a mystery of light, symbolically suggested by the star that guided the Magi on their journey. The true source of light, however, the “sun that rises from on high”, is Christ.

In the mystery of Christmas, Christ’s light shines on the earth, spreading, as it were, in concentric circles. First of all, it shines on the Holy Family of Nazareth: the Virgin Mary and Joseph are illuminated by the divine presence of the Infant Jesus. The light of the Redeemer is then manifested to the shepherds of Bethlehem, who, informed by an Angel, hasten immediately to the grotto and find there the “sign” that had been foretold to them: the Child, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

The shepherds, together with Mary and Joseph, represent that “remnant of Israel,” the poor, the anawim, to whom the Good News was proclaimed.

Finally, Christ’s brightness shines out, reaching the Magi who are the first-fruits of the pagan peoples.

The Magi worshipped a simple Child in the arms of his Mother Mary, because in him they recognized the source of the twofold light that had guided them: the light of the star and the light of the Scriptures. In him they recognized the King of the Jews, the glory of Israel, but also the King of all the peoples.”

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This week in review:

• Aimee Milburn on Loving « Per Christum Catholic Blog - Catholic Symbols Pos… on Diversity Through A Coord… | Catholic Symbols on Diversity Through A Coord… gabriellaroma on Holy Cards! Get Your Holy Card… Jason on Charismatic Episcopal Church A… …
• How Are the Seven Wonders of the World Decided | Stumblerz - Then there were others upset that no Catholic symbols were chosen. Other countries felt some of their monuments should have won out. Well you cannot please everyone, especially in this huge decision. The world is full of beautiful …
• Maitland Art Center - The education begins when the 25 students ranging in age from 8 to 14 gather in a small outdoor theatre adorned with Hispanic carvings of various catholic symbols. The speaker is Nancy Rosado, a local aspiring artist who was born in …

I found this video while browsing YouTube and thought it very interesting. Having two sons in thier early 20’s, this video makes me ponder the powerful message it contains for young men and how everything about us really belongs to God.  Feel free to leave comments…

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You may have been in a Catholic church during Adoration or Benediction and wondered what that golden vessel that holds the Eucharistic Host, the bread wafer, for display is called.  It’s a unique Roman Catholic Symbol

In the English language we call it a Monstrance.  In the Latin language used universally in the Roman Catholic Church it is called an Ostensorium. Monstrance is derived from the Latin word “monstrare” which means “to show”.  In the English language the word “demonstrate” has the same derivation and it’s meaning, according to the Webster Dictionary, is “to show clearly”.

So why do Catholics have this special vessel to show or display the Eucharistic host?  In the Catholic Church, doctrine holds that the bread and wine are transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ during their consecration at the mass.  This is known as Transubstantiation - the transforming of the bread and wine into the body and blood.  Once consecrated and transformed they are given the same adoration as is given to Jesus.

While the Host is displayed in the Monstrance no human hands are to touch it.  That’s why you see the priest or bishop or even the pope wearing a veil that covers their shoulders and hands when holding the Monstrance.

There you have it.  Another unique yet very important symbol of the Catholic Church .

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This week in review:

• Diversity Through A Coordinator - They had images of Our Lady of Guadalupe and other traditionally Catholic symbols. The week he preached, he brought all kinds of Catholic symbols into the parish and the liturgy was partially in Spanish. None of this was authentic to …
• Mike Cavanaug’s last gallery appearance for 2008 at Infusion Gallery - Current projects include: Catholic Symbols involving all 21 of the California missions; Nature’s Paintings; an inspirational project encompassing both landscape and Catholic symbols; a seedy Swimming Pool series; …
• the vatican fires another shot in the war-on-secularism - roman catholic symbols such as the crucifix are common in countries with a long standing catholic tradition. the crucifix doesn’t validate the existence of god - it merely reflects an artist’s conception - not exactly a popular subject …

I am re-printing this blog post from Clerical Whispers.  Do we not have this similar problem in the United States?  How do you feel about these Christian Symbols?  Feel free to leave your comment…

Spain makes history with crucifix ruling

A judge in Spain has ruled that crucifixes hung on classroom walls contravene the secular and neutral nature of the country’s constitution.

The Macias Picavea state school in Valladolid must now remove the religious symbols from classrooms and public spaces. The case was sparked by a 2005 complaint from a parent and a local secular association.

The judgment is said to be the first of its kind in the country’s history: “What you have to realize is that the content of this ruling corresponds exactly with the provisions of the constitution and the secular character of the State,” said Mercedes Cabrera, Spain’s Education Minister.

Despite the provisions of the 1978 constitution, ensuring the separation of Church and state, Catholic symbols are prominent in many of Spain’s schools and colleges. The Catholic Church in Spain criticized the decision, saying it could make religious co-existence more difficult.

“I think what is important is not to get rid of all religious symbols, but to help people learn to respect them, whatever their religion,” said Carlos Amigo, the Archbishop of Seville.

The Vatican is equally unhappy with the judgment. An article in its semi-official newspaper, “L’Osservatore Romano”, said the move was motivated by “anti-religious hatred”.

Clerical Whispers: Spain makes history with crucifix ruling

After the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, many of his followers scattered and went underground.  Of course, his apostles and closest disciples were emboldened by the Holy Spirit and set out to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus.  Persecution of those who believed that Jesus was Christ, the Christians, occurred almost immediately and it became necessary for Christians to identify one another through the use of symbols.  One of the most well known was the symbols of the fish.

This fish symbols has been found by archaeologists in caves and catacombs that were used as meeting places.  It has been found in markings of graves and even in dwelling places. It was a symbol that was recognized by other true followers but not by those who were not.  Why the fish?

There are several interesting theories surrounding the use of the fish.  First off, Jesus preached primarily in Galilee, a fishing town.  Many of His first chosen apostles were fishermen, including Simon Peter to whom he entrusted the keys of the church.  Jesus, who taught in parables, told his disciples he would make the “fishers of men”.  There are several passages in the New Testament that reference fish.

One very popular school of thought concerning the fish comes in the Greek word for fish – IXOYE –iota, chi, theta, upsilon, and sigma.  In English the sounds from those letters would be ICHTHUS and you may have heard the fish symbol referred to as the “ichthus fish”.  The combination of these letters is an acronym – Iesous Christos Theou Uiou Soter – which translated means Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.

Catholic theology has elaborated on the five words of the acronym into the Jesus prayer, which goes, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

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