Chapter 2 - Animals

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its lowly movement symbolizes humility. 3. The slow movement of the snail symbolizes perseverance. 4. In ancient portrayals of the crucifixion, a snail is sometimes seen to the right of the cross. This symbolizes the repentant thief who waited until the very last minute to turn his life over to Jesus. 5. Each spring the snail breaks out of the doorway of its shell. This symbolizes the Resurrection.

SNAKE – 1. A snake pictured by itself represents that wicked serpent, Satan, who deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:14). 2. If the snake is pictured on a pole, it symbolizes healing and God’s mercy. The Israelites were wandering and complaining in the wilderness; in response, God caused poisonous snakes to strike and kill many of them (Numbers 21:4-9). When they repented of their sins, God commanded Moses to create a bronze snake; all who looked upon it were healed.

SPHINX – 1. The sphinx symbolizes silence, secrecy and mystery. It is a fabled creature with the head and chest of a woman, and body, feet and tail of a lion. 2. Because of the large sphinx statue in Egypt, it can symbolize Israel in Egypt and the flight out of Egypt.

SPIDER – A spider is symbolic of patience.

SQUIRREL – 1. A squirrel is symbolic of a Christian’s busy forethought of eternity. 2. Heavenly meditation.

STAG – 1. The stag symbolizes solitude and purity of life. When a stag has a cross in its antlers, it symbolizes a specific saint with whom its attributes are connected. 2. Two stags drinking symbolize baptism. 3. A stag being hunted symbolizes the persecution of Christians. 4. The Bestiaries say that the stag has a passion to destroy all types of snakes even though it is afraid of every other type of creature. The stag symbolizes the trampling of the snake or dragon, just as Jesus destroyed the power of Satan.

STORK – 1. The stork is symbolic of the Annunciation to Mary that she would bear the Christ child. The symbolism is based on the stork returning from its migration to announce the beginning of spring. 2. The Bestiaries teach that the stork grinds its’ beak together, making a grinding noise. This is symbolic of the person who, through the gnashing of teeth, confesses his/her sins. 3. Vigilance. 4. Holiness.

SWALLOW – 1. A representation of the swallow in the Middle Ages symbolizes the Incarnation of Jesus. It frequently appears in paintings of the Annunciation
and the Nativity. 2. The swallow is a symbol of the Resurrection, as it appears every spring to announce its arrival. 3. The Bestiaries tell how the swallow spends a great deal of time in the air catching its food. In this sense it is like the Christian, who spends a great deal of time pursuing the things of Heaven. 4. The swallow’s young, always hungry and eager for the next meal, symbolize prayer of petition.

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