Birds in the Bible and Sacred Art - National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

“I know every bird in the heights;whatever moves in the wild is mine.” — Psalm 50:11The rich imagery of birds is prevalent throughout the Bible: though birds are often deemed small and insignificant, Scripture tells us that they are still cared for by God as part of His creation. We also see powerful birds like eagles as pictures of strength, and owls representing desolation (Isaiah 34:11). In sacred art, the Holy Spirit is depicted as a dove, as He appears at the baptism of Jesus, while the finch is associated with Christ’s Passion, and the peacock with immortality.In this post, we invite you to learn more about the symbolism of birds in sacred art and Scripture, and where you can find these motifs portrayed in the art of the Basilica.The Creation Mosaic“Then God said: Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky.” — Genesis 1:20Birds were created by God on the fifth day, so it is only fitting that they have their...