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Christianity has many symbols; the
most recognizable is, of course, the cross. There are a number of symbols
linked with Easter or the Resurrection: the butterfly, the lily, the
pomegranate, the peacock, and the phoenix.
The butterfly represents the Resurrection and eternal life. It emerges
from its cocoon or chrysalis and gloriously rises into the sky in its splendid
new body. Similarly, Jesus and his followers are born into a new life on
Easter.
The lily is perhaps the most common Easter symbol because it's displayed during
Easter worship services and blooms around this time each year. The lily's
bulb decays in the earth, yet new life sprouts from it in the form of a flower -
reminiscent of the new life that emerged from the tomb so many years ago.
The pomegranate is used as a symbol of the power of Christ and his Resurrection
because of the many seeds that burst forth from the fruit. These seeds
represent the many believers who follow Christ. They also represent the
magnificence of divine grace and the fertility of the Word.
The peacock sheds his feathers annually. Each year the feathers grow back
more beautiful and more brilliant in color. This renewal symbolizes
eternal life or resurrection. There's also a myth that the peacocks flesh
doesn't decay after death - immortality. (The peacock is sometimes used to
represent humanity, because of the way he proudly struts and displays his
plumage.)
The phoenix was a mythical bird that lived in the Arabian Desert for five
hundred years. It set its own nest on fire and perished in the
flames. But on the third day it rose from its own ashes and ascended into
the sky as a new and beautiful creature. Its easy to see why the phoenix
represents immortal life and the Resurrection. | |
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