Find Confirmation Names Using Saint Symbols
| 23 March 2010 |
If you need a confirmation name, and don’t have time to delve into the biographies of dozens of saints, why not start your search by looking at saints’ symbols instead?
In art, saints are often depicted with items that represent them in some way. Some of these symbols (like lilies, skulls, pens, crosiers and bells) are used for multiple saints, while others are unique to a particular saint. Here are a few examples:
| Symbol | Saint(s) |
|---|---|
| Arrows | St. Edmund the Martyr St. Sebastian |
| Axe | St. Boniface St. John Fisher St. Justin Martyr St. Thomas the Apostle St. Thomas More |
| Bees | St. Ambrose St. Bernard of Clairvaux St. Isidore of Seville St. John Chrysostom |
| Bread | St. Anthony of Padua St. Elisabeth of Hungary |
| Cave | St. Elijah |
| Crocodile | St. Theodore |
| Harp | St. David of Wales St. Patrick |
| Keys | St. Genevieve St. James the Greater St. Martha St. Peter the Apostle St. Petronilla St. Zita |
| Lamb | St. Agnes St. Joachim St. Joanna St. John the Baptist |
| Lily | St. Catherine of Siena St. Dominic St. Gabriel the Archangel St. Philip Neri |
| Mice | St. Gertrude of Nivelles |
| Shell | St. Augustine of Hippo St. Bridget of Sweden St. James the Greater |
| Skull | St. Bruno of Cologne St. Francis of Assisi St. Jerome |
Studying iconography isn’t a substitute for reading about the saints. But it is a fun way to kick things off. And you never know–a certain symbol might catch your eye and lead you to a saint that’s a good match for you.
Sources: Saint Symbolism, Saints’ Lives and Symbols (NGA.gov pdf), Saint Symbol Information
this was SOOOO helpful! thank you soo much!!!