Bird · Waterbird
Pelican
Pelecanus
A large waterbird transformed by medieval legend into an emblem of self-giving love, sacrifice, and nourishment.
Medieval Christian traditionSelf-sacrifice, Eucharist, and redemptive love
1 contextual reading
Bestiary and religious symbolism
Living symbols indexed under this named context. This page gathers catalog references; it does not define the whole tradition or erase differences among communities and practitioners.
1 symbol