The symbolism of the mother
pelican feeding her little baby pelicans is rooted in an ancient legend which
preceded Christianity. The legend was that in time of famine, the mother
pelican wounded herself, striking her breast with the beak to feed her young
with her blood to prevent starvation. Another version of the legend was that
the mother fed her dying young with her blood to revive them from death, but in
turn lost her own life. Given this tradition, one can easily see why the early
Christians adapted it to symbolize our Lord, Jesus Christ. The pelican
symbolizes Jesus our Redeemer who gave His life for our redemption and the
atonement He made through His passion and death. We were dead to sin and have
found new life through the Blood of Christ. Moreover, Jesus continues to feed
us with His body and blood in the holy Eucharist. This tradition and others is
found in the Physiologus, an early Christian work which appeared in the second
century in Alexandria, Egypt. Written by an anonymous author, the Physiologus
recorded legends of animals and gave each an allegorical interpretation. For
instance the phoenix, which burns itself to death and rises on the third day
from the ashes, symbolizes Christ who died for our sins and rose on the third
day to give us the promise of everlasting life. The unicorn which only allows
itself to be captured in the lap of a pure virgin, symbolizes the incarnation.
Here too the legend of the pelican feeding her young is described: "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." This work was noted by St. Epiphanius, St.
Basil and St. Peter of Alexandria. It was also popular in the Middle Ages and
was a source for the symbols used in the various stone carvings and other
artwork of that period. Clearly the pelican became a symbol of charity.
Reference to the pelican and its Christian meaning are found in Renaissance
literature: Dante (1321) in the "Paridiso" of his Divine Comedy
refers to Christ as "our Pelican." John Lyly in his Euphues (1606)
wrote, "Pelicane who striketh blood out of its owne bodye to do others
good." Shakespeare (1616) in Hamlet wrote, "To his good friend thus
wide, I’ll ope my arms / And, like the kind, life-rendering pelican / Repast
them with my blood." John Skelton (1529) in his Armorie of Birds, wrote,
"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." The pelican also has been part of our liturgical tradition. In the
hymn "Adoro te devote," the sixth verse (written by St. Thomas
Aquinas) reads,
Like what tender tales tell of
the Pelican
Bathe me, Jesus Lord, in what Thy
Bosom ran
Blood that but one drop of has
the pow’r to win
All the world forgiveness of its
world of sin.
Therefore, the image of the
pelican is a strong reminder of our Lord, who suffered and died for us to give
us eternal life and who nourishes us on our pilgrim way with the Holy
Eucharist. May that image move us to show the same charity and self-giving love
toward all ■
