4 Things You Didn’t Know Were Christian Symbols

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When it comes to Christian symbolism, most people think of the best known symbols. They think of crosses and the famous fish. With Christianity’s long history, however, there are far more symbols in the religion than those two. Some of this symbolism is found in the Bible itself. Images of lambs are found throughout the story of Christ, for instance, and more than one cathedral has stained glass windows that depict a lamb with a halo. Doves are another common Christian symbol. Associated with the story of Noah’s Ark, doves are a symbol of peace throughout the Christian world. Flames and fire also make regular appearances in Christian symbolism. Fire and flames are usually associated with the Holy Spirit. These common symbols, however, are far from the only things that have Christian significance. There are actually a great many Christian symbols that are not as well known. The dove, lamb, cross and fish are so common and work so well to symbolize Christianity and its various aspects that most people do not look further for Christian symbols. For those who are interested in less common symbolism, however, here are four things most people do not know are Christian symbols.

Sand Dollar

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Sand dollars are a popular shell among beach goers. This smooth, flat, white shell is the skeleton of a type of sea urchin that burrows into the sand near shorelines. It is also rich in Christian symbolism. According to what has become known as the Sand Dollar Legend, the sand dollar tells the story of Christ’s birth, death and resurrection. The natural design etched on the sand dollar’s face stands for the Easter lily, a symbol of the Resurrection. The star shape in the middle of the lily is said to be the Star of Bethlehem. On the back of the sand dollar is another shape. This one is believed to represent the Poinsettia, the Christmas flower. The five slits in a sand dollar are said to represent the four wounds to Christ’s hands and feet and the spear that pierced His side.

A sand dollar’s Christian symbolism does not end when it breaks. Inside a sand dollar are five small pieces of shell that look like doves. These doves are said to be the doves of good will, peace and joy. According to some legends, if a Christian breaks a sand dollar, the doves will spread God’s love and peace to those around them.

Peacock

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Christians tend to look poorly on vanity and arrogance, and the Bible does not have a pleasant opinion of those who think too highly of themselves. As such, it seems strange that the peacock, an animal so often associated with pride and an obsession with appearances, would be a Christian symbol.

The Christians symbolism of this unusual choice of bird harkens back to an equally unusual source: Ancient Greece. While the Bible does its best to distance Christianity from the pagan civilizations of Greece and Rome, early Christians would have lived among the Greeks and Romans and adopted some of their traditions and ways of thinking. One of these ideas was the belief that the flesh of peacocks did not decay after their death. Between this myth and the fact that peacocks shed their old feathers every year and grow new, even brighter feathers, the peacock became a symbol of immortality and resurrection. From there, it was a small step for Christians to begin associating peacocks with life after death and the Resurrection.

Triquetra

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The triquetra is a set of three interlinked triangles drawn with a single line surrounded by a circle. One triangle points upward and the other two point down and out to the sides. The name of the symbol comes from the Latin word triquetrus which means “three cornered.”

The original origins of the symbol are a matter of debate. The symbol has been found in Norse Viking imagery, Indian heritage sites, Japanese artifacts, Celtic works and early Germanic coins. It is most often, however, associated with the ancient Celts due in part to the similarity between its design and the famous Celtic knot artwork.

In recent years, the triquetra has been co-oped by Neopagan groups to represent the Three Fold Goddess, but the triangular knot has long been a Christian symbol. The three triangles represent the Holy Trinity, and the triquetra is sometimes called the Irish Trinity Knot. The use of one line to draw all three triangles symbolizes that all three persons in the Holy Trinity are one God, and the circle that commonly surrounds the triquetra is said to represent God’s all-encompassing love.

Shamrock

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Four leafed clovers are seen everywhere in March as part of decorations for Saint Patrick’s Day. It is the common three leafed shamrock, however, that is better associated with Christianity and this famous Irish saint. According to legend, the three leafed clover was used by Saint Patrick to help explain essential Christian theology to the native, pagan Irish. Each leaf of the clover was said to represent a part of the Trinity.

The legend of Saint Patrick using a plant the Irish would have seen every day to explain the Trinity is a relatively recent invention. The link between the shamrock and the Trinity, however, dates back at least to the Middle Ages. Shamrocks and other trefoils, plants with tree leaves, can be found decorating Gothic churches as these natural images were seen as good representations of the Holy Trinity.