Saint symbology

Christianity has used symbolism from its very beginnings.Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), article Symbolism Each saint has a story and a reason why he or she led an exemplary life. Symbols have been used to tell these stories throughout the history of the Church. A number of Christian saints are traditionally represented by a symbol or iconic motif associated with their life, termed an attribute or emblem, in order to identify them. The study of these forms part of iconography in Art history. They were particularly used so that the illiterate could recognize a scene, and to give each of the saints something of a personality in art. They are often carried in the hand by the saint. Attributes often vary with either time or geography, especially between Eastern Christianity and the West. Orthodox images more often contained inscriptions with the names of saints, so the Eastern repertoire of attributes is generally smaller than the Western. Many of the most prominent saints, like Saint Peter and Saint John the Evangelist can also be recognised by a distinctive facial type - as of course can Christ. In the case of later saints their actual historical appearance can also be used. Some attributes are general, like the palm frond carried by martyrs. 
The use of a symbol in a work of art depicting a saint reminds people who is being shown and of their story. The following is a list of some of these attributes.
== The list ==
=== A ===
Saint 	Symbol
Acathius of Melitene 	Crown of Thorns
Agatha of Sicily 	tongs or shears, veil, bells, two breasts on a plate
Agnes 	lamb
Ambrose 	bees, beehive, dove, ox, pen
Andrew 	transverse cross
Anne, grandmother of Jesus	door, book, red robe and green mantle
Anthony the Great 	monk's habit, bell, pig
Anthony of Padua 	Child Jesus, bread, book, lily
Augustine of Hippo 	dove, child, shell, pen, book
=== B ===
Saint 	Symbol
Barbara 	tower, ciborium, cannon
Bartholomew the Apostle	knife
Benedict 	broken cup, raven, bell, crosier, bush
Bernard of Clairvaux 	pen, bees, instruments of the Passion
Bernardino of Siena 	tablet or sun inscribed with IHS, three mitres
Blaise 	wax, taper (candle), iron comb
Bonaventure 	communion, ciborium, cardinal's hat
Boniface 	oak, axe, book, fox, scourge,fountain, raven, sword
Bridget of Sweden 	book, pilgrim's staff
Brigid of Kildare 	cow, crosier, Brigid's cross
=== C ===
Saint 	Symbol
Catherine of Alexandria 	wheel, a crown
Catherine of Ricci 	ring, crown, crucifix
Catherine of Siena 	stigmata, cross, ring, lily
Cecilia 	organ
Cerbonius 	geese
Charles Borromeo 	cardinal's robes, communion
Christopher 	giant crudely dressed, torrent, tree, branch or large staff, Carrying the Child Jesus on shoulder
Clare of Assisi 	monstrance
Clement 	anchor, fish, Mariner's Cross
Corbinian 	saddled bear
Saints Cosmas and Damian	a phial, box of ointment
Cyriacus 	deacon's vestments
=== D ===
Saint 	Symbol
Daniel 	lion
Denis 	head in hands
David of Wales 	harp
Dorothy of Caesarea	flowers
Saint Dominic 	rosary, star
Dunstan 	hammer, tongs
=== E ===
Saint 	Symbol
Edmund the Martyr 	quiver of arrows
Saint Eligius 	bishop portrayed with a crosier in his right hand, on the open palm of his left a miniature church of chased gold; with a hammer,anvil, and horseshoe; or with a horse
Elijah 	cave
Elisabeth of Hungary 	alms, flowers, bread, the poor, pitcher
Emilianus 	monk on horseback
Elizabeth of Portugal	crown
Erasmus of Formiae 	windlass
Eustace 	hunting clothes, stag, bull, crucifix, horn, oven
=== F ===
Saint 	Symbol
Francis of Assisi	wolf, birds, fish, skull, stigmata
Francis Xavier 	crucifix, bell, vessel, crab with a cross
=== G ===
Saint 	Symbol
Gabriel 	is archangel, trumpet, armour, wings, scroll stating “Ave Maria Gratia Plena”
Genesius 	drama masks
Genevieve 	lit candle, bread, keys, herd, cattle
George 	dragon,soldier or knight in armour, often on white horse, especially in the East
Gertrude of Nivelles	crown, tapir, lily,mouse
Giles 	Benedictine habit, hind
Gregory the Great 	Papal Tiara, crosier, dove (often portrayed at his ear)
=== H ===
Saint 	Symbol
Helena 	cross
Hippolytus of Rome 	Papal Tiara
Hippolytus the soldier	military garb, horse's harness
Honoratus of Amiens 	baker's peel or shovel; bishop with a large Host; bishop with three Hosts on a baker's shovel; loaves
=== I ===
Saint 	Symbol
Ignatius of Antioch	a bishop surrounded by lions or in chains
Ignatius of Loyola 	Eucharist, chasuble, book, cross.
Imerius of Immertal	hermit's garb and bird of prey
Irene of Tomar 	palm of martyrdom
Isidore of Seville 	bees, pen, book
Ivo of Kermartin 	depicted as a lawyer, holding a document, in legal dress.
=== J ===
Saint 	Symbol
James, son of Zebedee 	pilgrim's staff, scallop shell, key, sword
James, son of Alphaeus / James the Just	square rule, halberd, club, saw
Jerome 	lion, cardinal clothing, cross, skull, books and writing material
Joan of Arc 	shield, Cross of Lorraine
Saint Joanna 	lamb
John Berchmans 	Rule of Saint Ignatius, cross, rosary
John Chrysostom 	bees, dove, pen
John of God 	alms, heart, Crown of Thorns
John the Baptist 	lamb, head on a platter, animal skin (the camel-skin coat of the Gospels), pointing at Christ or a lamb, often portrayed carryiing a long crudely made cross
John the Evangelist 	eagle, chalice sometimes with a snake in it, kettle, book
Joseph, spouse of Mary 	Child Jesus, lily, rod, plane, carpentry square, purple robe and brown mantle
Juan Diego 	tilma
Jude the Apostle 	sword, square rule, club, ship
Justin Martyr 	axe, sword
Juthwara 	round soft cheese
=== K ===
Saint 	Symbol
Kateri Tekakwitha 	turtle, lily
Kevin of Glendalough	blackbird
Knut of Denmark 	Nordic king with royal insignia, dagger, lance or arrow.
=== L ===
Saint 	Symbol
Lawrence of Rome 	cross, Gospel Book, gridiron, palm frond, purse of money
Leander of Seville 	pen
Leonard of Noblac 	lock, chain, manacles or fetters
Liborius of Le Mans	pebbles, peacock
Louis IX of France 	Crown of Thorns, nails
Lucy 	eyes on a dish], lamp
Luke the Evangelist	ox, book, brush, palette
=== M ===
Saint 	Symbol
Margaret the Virgin 	dragon in chains
Mark the Evangelist 	winged lion, book
Martha 	holy water sprinkler, dragon
Martin of Tours 	goose
Mary Magdalene 	jar of ointment
Matilda of Ringelheim 	purse, alms
Matthew the Evangelist	winged man, purse, lance
Maurus 	scales, spade, crutch
Michael 	scales, banner, sword, dragon
Monica 	girdle, tears
=== N ===
Saint 	Symbol
Nicholas	three purses or balls, anchor, boat, child
=== O ===
Saint 	Symbol
Oda of Scotland	depicted wearing a long blue gown with one shoulder bare; usually carries a staff or a book; always shown with a magpie on her hand and a crown under her feet
=== P ===
Saint 	Symbol
Pantaleon 	nailed hands
Paraskevi 	eyeballs on a plate
Patrick 	cross, harp, serpent, baptismal font, demons, shamrock
Paul the Apostle 	sword, book or scroll, horse Long, pointed beard; balding backwards from forehad. Green robe, red mantle.
Peter 	keys, boat, rooster, square white beard and short, curling white hair, bald on top. Blue robe and yellow mantle.
Saint Peter of Verona	bloodied head (either left bleeding, or partially penetrated)
Petronilla 	set of keys, dolphin
Philip the Apostle 	column
Philip Neri 	lily
Philomena 	anchor
=== Q ===
Saint 	Symbol
Quentin 	broken wheel
Quiteria	depicted with a dog on a lead; depicted with her head in her hands, emerging from the sea.
=== R ===
Saint 	Symbol
Raphael 	fish
Rita of Cascia	roses, roses and figs,crucifix, thorn, sometimes with a wound in her forehead
Roch 	angel, dog, bread
Rose of Lima 	Crown of Thorns, anchor, city, roses
=== S ===
Saint 	Symbol
Sebastian	arrows, crown
Stephen 	Stone(s)
Simon 	crossed oars, saw
=== T ===
Saint 	Symbol
Teresa of Ávila 	heart, arrow, book
Teresa of the Andes	small cross, flowers
Theodore 	crocodile
Thérèse de Lisieux 	roses entwining a crucifix
Thomas Aquinas 	monstrance, dove, ox
Thomas the Apostle 	lance, axe, square rule
Thomas More 	axe
Tudwal 	dragon
=== U ===
Saint 	Symbol
Urban 	portrayed in art after his beheading, with the Papal Tiara near him
Urban of Langres	bishop with a bunch of grapes or a vine at his side; a book with a wine vessel on it
Ursicinus 	book and Fleur-de-lis
Ursus of Aosta 	birds on his shoulder; wearing fur pelisse in a religious habit
=== V ===
Saint 	Symbol
Vedast 	wolf carrying a goose in its mouth; child; bear
Verdiana 	snakes
Victor of Marseilles	windmill
Vigilius of Trent 	shoes or clogs
Vincent de Paul 	children
Vincent Ferrer 	pulpit, cardinal's hat, trumpet, captives
Vitus 	cross, rooster, lion
=== W ===
Saint 	Symbol
William of Montevergine	wolf and pastoral crook
Winnoc 	hand-mill, bridge, grinding corn
Wolfgang of Regensburg 	a church building with an adze lodged in the roof, a wolf
=== X ===
Saint 	Symbol
Xystus	martyr's palm
=== Y ===
Saint 	Symbol
Yrieix	Bishop's Mitre
=== Z ===
Saint 	Symbol
Zachary 	Making peace with King Luitprand. Sometimes he may have an olive branch and a dove over him
Zenobius of Florence	flowering tree; bringing a dead man or child back to life
Zita 	bag, keys
==Further reading==
* 
==See also== 
* Calendar of saints
* Christian symbolism
* Christianized myths and imagery
* Doctor of the Church
* Four Evangelists and Evangelist portrait
* Iconography
* List of canonizations, for a list of Catholic canonizations by date
* Martyrology
* Patron saint
==External links==
 
* Christian Iconography from Augusta State University - alphabet of saints
* symbols
* Saints' Badges or Shields
* Catholic Online list of saints
* On the Canonizations of John Paul II
* Hagiographies, hymnography, and icons for many Orthodox saints from the website of the Orthodox Church in America.
* Catholic Forum Patron Saints Index
==References==
Symbology
Category:Christian iconography
Category:Symbols
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