Symbols of Jesus Christ in the Christian tradition

Jesus symbols

he Christian Tradition is very rich in terms of symbols, words and images that represent Our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we will focus on two animals that have symbolized Jesus since the early years of Christianity: the fish and the pelican.

Throughout the centuries, these two symbols have remained present in the lives of Christians. The clearest example of this is that, to this day, we continue to use religious articles such as canopies, lecterns ortabernaclesdecorated with fish or pelicans .

The pelican, symbol of the love of Jesus

The pelican is a large bird. One of the heaviest birds capable of flight. His most characteristic feature is the bag where he keeps the fish he catches.

The pelican is from the first years of our era a

or of the symbols that the first Christians used to refer to Jesus. The main reasons for this identification were two.

In the first place, we must mention the fact that the Hebraic law considered the pelican as an unclean animal . Jesus, before being crucified, was branded as a blasphemer, as unclean by the Jews.

The second reason, and perhaps the most relevant, was the belief at that time that adult pelicans, if they had not been able to catch fish, would give their own meat and blood to feed their young . That is, he gives parts of his body and his blood for his children, he sacrifices himself for his children. Just like Jesus did for all of us. San Isidoro de Sevilla, in his work "Etymologies" records the wide diffusion of this connection at that time.

The pelican usually hits its beak and its bag against its chest to remove the fish and be able to feed its young. The vision of this movement and the great beak that the pelican has could give rise to this belief.

The fact of feeding their children with their own flesh and blood also links the pelican with the Eucharist itself. The bread and wine, through transubstantiation , become the Body and Blood of Jesus, food for the soul of Christians.

In most of the representations, be it in painting, goldsmithing, embroidery, etc., the pelican appears in its nest, feeding its young.

The fish, Jesus Christ Son of God Savior

The fish is another of the symbols with which Jesus has been identified since the most primitive Christianity . Some authors maintain that the symbol of the fish was already used in the first century after Christ.

The fish was a symbol that was very important in the early years of Christianity. Its enormous relevance derives its practical utility. Followers of Christ used this symbol to identify each other and to mark meeting places and graves of their own . Until Constantite signed the Edict of Milan in 313, Christians were punished and persecuted for their religious beliefs. There were many abuses suffered by the first Christians at the hands of the Jews and Romans. The existence of symbols such as the fish allowed the Church to develop underground , away from the power of the Roman emperor.

The persecution was already suffered by Christ himself , who died on the Cross because of the conspiracies of the Jews and Romans. Jesus inspired us and announced the persecutions that his followers would suffer in the years to come:

“Blessed are you when you are insulted and persecuted, and when you are slandered in every way because of me. Rejoice and rejoice then, for a great reward awaits you in heaven; in the same way they persecuted the prophets who preceded you. (St. Matthew 5:11-12)”.

The importance of the fish as a symbol of Jesus peaked in the first three centuries of our era. From the fourth century, with the end of the persecution of Christians, this symbol began to be used less.

Most authors agree that the popularity of the fish as a symbol of Jesus was so great for two main reasons:

The first of them is that the word fish in Greek is written "Ichthys", in ancient Greek IXÈYÓ . The letters that make up this last word form an acronym that reveals the nature of our Savior Jesus:

I – Iota or Iesous - Jesus in Greek.

X – Chi or Christos - Christ in Greek.

È – Theta or Theou - God in Greek.

Y – Upsilon or Yios/Huios - Son in Greek.

Ó – Sigma or Soter – Savior in Greek.

that is, “Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter” . What translated into Spanish would be more or less " Jesus Christ son of God Savior" .

Secondly, if we take the Bible we will see that the fish is an animal present in numerous passages. For example, when Jesus approaches Simon and Andrew, brothers by profession fishermen, and tells them "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).

Very important is also the moment known as the " Miracle of the loaves and fishes " or the "Multiplication of the loaves and fishes" (Gospel according to Saint John 6, Saint Matthew 14, Saint Mark 6 and Saint Luke 9). Passage in which Jesus with “five barley loaves and two fish” fed “the men numbering about five thousand”.

We see another example when Jesus, after being resurrected, meets with seven of his disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee (St. John 21:9). "As they descended to land, they saw coals laid, and a fish on top of them, and bread." It is the third time that Jesus appears to his disciples after having defeated death .