O Loving Pelican, Lord Jesus

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Larry1700

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I thought that title would get your attention! The phrase definitely surprised me, and I’m hoping one of you can tell me what it means, or whatever you know about it.

It’s found on page 50 of Dietrich von Hildebrand’s Transformation in Christ, and is a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas: “O Loving Pelican, Lord Jesus, wash me clean in Thy blood.”
 
Larry1700 said:
I thought that title would get your attention! The phrase definitely surprised me, and I’m hoping one of you can tell me what it means, or whatever you know about it.

It’s found on page 50 of Dietrich von Hildebrand’s Transformation in Christ, and is a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas: “O Loving Pelican, Lord Jesus, wash me clean in Thy blood.”
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In the middle ages it was believed that the pelican plucked its own breast to feed its young. It was used as a symbol for Jesus sacrifice.
 
You’ll often see images on altars or in stained glassed windows of a pelican feeding its young with its own blood . It’s a symbol of Christ and Holy Communion.
 
This thread has very informed Catholics.

To enlarge on the Pelican’s significance from what I read : the Pelican is the noblest of birds and as you all have underscored feeds her young with her own flesh.

In times of scarcity (few-to-none) schools of small fish the Pelican will feed her nestlings with her own body to nourish them…no matter how long even to the point of death.

The Pelican symbol today is not visible in newer churches since many altars have been discarded by modernists and symbolism is practically non-existant.

St. John the Evangelist, is symbolized as an EAGLE…I do not recall the significance but someone here can, I’m sure.
 
Larry1700 said:
I thought that title would get your attention! The phrase definitely surprised me, and I’m hoping one of you can tell me what it means, or whatever you know about it.

It’s found on page 50 of Dietrich von Hildebrand’s Transformation in Christ, and is a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas: “O Loving Pelican, Lord Jesus, wash me clean in Thy blood.”
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And I could just get weird and love you!!! lol
The machinations of nature makes of man an interrupted fullstop
 
johnstown_johnn said:
This thread has very informed Catholics.
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No kidding! I’ve been to quite a few churches in quite a few countries, and have never seen a pelican inside the church -

👍 Kudos to Mercygate and Genesis 3:15 for the quick answers~! (Did you google it? 🤷 )
 
StephenB said:
No kidding! I’ve been to quite a few churches in quite a few countries, and have never seen a pelican inside the church -

👍 Kudos to Mercygate and Genesis 3:15 for the quick answers~! (Did you google it? 🤷 )
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No, I recalled from memory some years back. I didn’t Google it. But Google is better than having a roomful of encyclopededias its limits are only a reflection of our own resources. The answers are instantaneous too.
 
johnstown_johnn said:
St. John the Evangelist, is symbolized as an EAGLE…I do not recall the significance but someone here can, I’m sure.
Click to expand...
It is a common opinion by the Fathers that the four living creatures in the book of revelation are symbols of the four Gospels.

Rev. 4:7 And the first living creature was like a lion: and the second living creature like a calf: and the third living creature, having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying.

John is the eagle, Mark is the lion, Luke is the calf, and Matthew is the man.

Some Fathers line up the creatures and Gospels differently, but the above is what you’ll most likely see in churches.
 
baptist?
The song of the Pelican?
christ pissed off john,
didnt care so much about repentance as salvation.
For these men conversation went to a place we can only guess at?
 
It was simple for the baptist
the return ofv elijah
Jesus disappointed John—jesus did not baptise he forgave

Jesus didnt baptise and drank with wine drinkers?
the outsiders became his freinds–and the teachers of his secrets?
 
Genesis315 said:
It is a common opinion by the Fathers that the four living creatures in the book of revelation are symbols of the four Gospels.

Rev. 4:7 And the first living creature was like a lion: and the second living creature like a calf: and the third living creature, having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying.

John is the eagle, Mark is the lion, Luke is the calf, and Matthew is the man.

Some Fathers line up the creatures and Gospels differently, but the above is what you’ll most likely see in churches.
Click to expand...
Fabulous! Thank you.
 
Is this a vaccuum?
Do the soldiers of the new millenium stay dsilent?
new catholics?
 
StephenB said:
No kidding! I’ve been to quite a few churches in quite a few countries, and have never seen a pelican inside the church -

👍 Kudos to Mercygate and Genesis 3:15 for the quick answers~! (Did you google it? 🤷 )
Click to expand...
I didn’t google it. As a teenager, I was an Episcopalian. Somewhere I picked up a little booklet called “Symbols of the Church” – it had the coats of arms of the Apostles with explanations and all kinds of other stuff. The pelican was in there.

I HAVE seen the pelican inside churches but do not remember whether it was in Catholic or Episcopal churches.
 
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