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Pelican Christian Symbol
The History of the
symbol
in Christianity
Origin:
In medieval times, it was believed that in a time of famine, a mother pelican would pierce her chest with her beak and feed her chicks with her own blood.
This belief was encouraged by the fact that pelicans have red-tipped beaks, and because long beaked birds like the pelican often rest their beaks on their chests.
This story first appeared in the Physiologus, a Christian adaptation of popular animal legends and symbols. It said that "The little pelicans strike their parents, and the parents, striking back, kill them. But on the third day the mother pelican
strikes and opens her side and pours blood
over her dead young. In this way they are
revivified and made well. So Our Lord Jesus Christ says also through the prophet Isaiah: 'I have brought up children and exalted them, but they have despised me' (Is 1:2). We struck God by serving the creature rather than the Creator. Therefore He deigned to ascend the cross, and when His side was pierced, blood and water gushed forth unto our salvation and eternal life."
The Christian symbol of the pelican has been used in many notable works.
Jesus is referred to as "Our Pelican" in Dante's "Paridiso."
"Pelicane who striketh blood out of its owne bodye to do others good." - John Lyly
"And, like the kind, life-rendering pelican / Repast them with my blood." - Shakespeare
"Then sayd the Pellycan: When my Byrdts be slayne /With my bloude I them revyve. Scripture doth record / The same dyd our Lord / And rose from deth to lyve." - John Skelton
The story of the pelican is not as widely used today, but the symbol is still used as decorations in churches and retains its symbolism of charity as the emblem of many charity organizations.
Sources:
https://www.durhamworldheritagesite.com/architecture/castle/intro/west-range/kitchen/pelican
http://www.religionfacts.com/pelican
https://www.catholicherald.com/News/The_Symbolism_of_the_Pelican/
http://prieststuff.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-pelican-christian-symbol.html