Just a silly question- I was at another church over the weekend and their communion table had some interesting images. The Alpha and Omega symbols were at the ends of the table, which I understand. In the middle of the symbols was a craved image of a female pelican, with her break to her chest and two young chicks at her feet. What is the story behind the pelican on a communion table?
In the middle of the symbols was a craved image of a female pelican, with her break to her chest and two young chicks at her feet. What is the story behind the pelican on a communion table?What type of Church is it? Anglican, Catholic? The eagle symbol I believe was used in the Roman Empire? and its intresting that its used as a symbol for american freedom.
sermonindex wrote:What type of Church is it? Anglican, Catholic? The eagle symbol I believe was used in the Roman Empire? and its intresting that its used as a symbol for american freedom.Some freemason watchers claim that the "American Eagle" is actually a "Pheonix". Whether that's true or not, I don't know.
FYI Ben Franklin thought the wild turkey would be a better national bird. What kind of church did you say that it was that had a pelican?
This appears to be something that stems out of medieval Catholic mysticism. Here's something from a brief Google search on the topic;Pelican -The pelican-in-her-piety is based on the legend that in times of famine, the mother pelican opens her breast and feeds her young on her own blood. Represents Christ's voluntary sacrifice of atonement.This seems to be some kind of mixture of legend with Scripture, it doesn't sit well with my spirit.In Christ,Ron
This seems to be some kind of mixture of legend with Scripture, it doesn't sit well with my spirit.In Christ,RonAs well it shouldn't! When we start confusing the two only chaos insues. I believe that Kablah is based on the same principal of "legend" meet scripture.
This appears to be something that stems out of medieval Catholic mysticism. Here's something from a brief Google search on the topic;Hi RonI think the legend is much older, from classical times. This link will give you some more Religious Symbols.Pelican: The Pelican is a symbol of the atonement and the Redeemer and is often found in Christian murals, frescos, paintings and stained glass. The pelican was believed to wound itself in order to feed its young with its own blood. In the hymn "Adoro Te," St. Thomas Aquinas addresses the Savior with, "Pelican of Mercy, cleanse me in Thy Precious Blood." Allusion is even made to this belief in "Hamlet" (act iv): "To his good friend thus wide I'll ope my arms And, like the kind, life-rendering pelican, Repast them with my blood."I think it likely that the church was Roman Catholic?Even in Clement's writings there are very strange ideas of natural history with wierd and wonderful creatures which we believed in. It is one of the interesting facts that the Bible is free from these legendary creatures.For some English children raised with silly nursey rhymes it is a little difficult to take the pelican seriously.A remarkable bird is the pelicanFor his beak holds more than his belly can!BTW doesn't Alcatraz mean island of the pelicans?
Thanks for the great answers. It was a United Methodist Church.
This discussion is locked.
