Christian

Christianity

                                       

St Francis of Assisi painted with animals. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_Francis_of_Assisi_Church,_Coyoacan,_Federal_District,_Mexico019.jpg

Animal symbolism and imagery has been present since the birth of Christianity. Animals were used to express virtues and vices alike, with them being attributed to a certain animal. It invests these animals with an inner meaning expressing Christian ideas and beliefs.Before the renaissance animal symbols were of great significance and importance and were very much prevalent in Christianity. However, the renaissance saw animals being banished they then became more of accessory to the human figure and thus animal symbols become less frequent in Christian Iconography.

Fish:

http://www.merry-christmas.com/images/christmas_symbols/fish.gif

The symbol of the fish, an animal with an ever-watchful set of unblinking eyes -- was one of the most important symbols of Christ to the early Christians. During the early centuries when Christians were persecuted, followers used the outline of the fish to identify themselves with the religion. Adopting the fish as a symbol of Christ was logical as it was a staple food during that time and it was used frequently by Jesus during his ministries. In reference to Mark1:17, "Come after Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."

Two curve strokes forming a fish outline.

In Greek, the phrase, "Jesus Christ, Son of God Savior," is "Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter." The first letters of each of these Greek words, when put together, spell "ichthys," the Greek word for "fish" (ICQUS ). This symbol can be seen in the Sacraments Chapel of the Catacombs of St. Callistus. Because of the story of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, the fish symbolized, too, the Eucharist (see stylized fish symbol at right).

Dove:



Dove returning to Noah
http://0.tqn.com/d/atheism/1/0/b/e/NoahDoveReturns.jpg

According to the biblical story (Genesis 8:11), a dove was released by Noah after the flood in order to find land; it came back carrying an olive leaf in its beak, telling Noah that, somewhere, there was land. Christians used Noah's dove as a symbol of peace and love and a harbinger of hope. The early Christians in Rome incorporated into their funerary art the image of a dove carrying an olive branch, often accompanied by the word "Peace". It seems that they derived this image from the simile in the Gospels, combining it with the symbol of the olive branch, which had been used to represent peace by the Greeks and Romans. The dove and olive branch also appeared in many early Christian images of Noah's ark. 

Baptism of Christ, Francesco Albani 17th century painting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Baptism-of-Christ-xx-Francesco-Alban.JPG

Elsewhere in Christian Iconography, a dove also symbolizes the Holy Spirit, in reference to Matthew 3:16 and Luke 3:22 where the Holy Spirit is compared to a dove at the Baptism of Jesus. Depictions of the baptismal scene typical show the sky opening and the Holy Spirit descending as a dove towards Jesus.














References:

 

Werness,Hope,1st edition, The Continuum Encyclopedia Of Animal Symbolism In Art: Continuum,2004

Christian Animal Symbology, 2013 Douglas Gray http://www.christiansymbols.net/animals_5.php

Early Christian Art - An Evolutionary Tale of Pagan to Roman Styles, September 14, 2010 Annette Labedzki  http://209.240.155.221/sacred-christian-art.html

Christian Symbols Illustrated Glossary, 2014 Mary Fairchild http://christianity.about.com/od/symbolspictures/ig/Christian-Symbols-Glossary/Christian-Fish.htm