Phoenix christian symbol

Subsequently the phoenix became a popular symbol in Christian art and can be seen in a variety of places. When reflecting on what symbol our new superhero should adopt, we decided to pick a mythical creature that still retains a rich history of Christian symbolism.

In particular, we were drawn to the resurrection symbolism , and how the phoenix is reborn through its ashes. He is rejected by society, and treated like trash. For this reason it is frequently depicted near Christian burial places and is a favorite symbol of the early Church. Saint Clement of Rome, who died at the end of the first century and was the fourth pope, wrote of the phoenix and its symbolic value.

There is even an ancient Jewish tradition that states Eve offered all the animals the forbidden fruit, but the phoenix was the only one to refuse. The phoenix is found throughout the history of Christian art, especially during the medieval period, and remains a beautiful symbol that still captures the fascination of the modern world.

The Greeks weren't the only ones to revere this mythical bird. Let us consider that wonderful sign [of the resurrection] which takes place in Eastern lands, that is, in Arabia and the countries round about. Catholic Saints Index Christian Symbols. The Definition and Meaning of the Phoenix as a Catholic Christian Symbol Catholic Christian symbolism in art provides a clear graphic illustration which represents people or items of religious significance.

What is the definition and the meaning of the Phoenix? The Phoenix is a legendary Arabian bird said to periodically burn itself to death and emerge from the ashes as a new phoenix. According to most versions only one phoenix lived at a time and it renewed itself every years.

If the story of the phoenix was well known at the time Clement wrote his letter, where did it come from originally? According to 19th-century British theologian J. Greek poet. From the Greeks the story passed to the Romans. In 47 C.

In a section concerning the doctrines of Pythagoras, Ovid wrote of a similar mythical creature. The palm may have held a combined significance with the phoenix in the pagan world. Palms are evergreen, after all, a symbol of perpetual renewal that correlates with the imagery associated with the dying and reborn phoenix.

In ancient Greece the palm tree was associated with the sun-god Apollo; his myth suggested that the goddess Leto had given birth to him under a palm. In ancient Assyrian mythology, the tree symbolized the mother goddess Ishtar. The Mesopotamian goddess Inanna, through her marriage to the fertility god Damuzi, was seen as the one who made the harvest of the date palm flourish.