Home › Birth-Stones › Birth-Stones: Christ

Birth-Stones: Christ

By the sardonyx, showing with a certain transparency and purity the color of the human nail, we believe that James is denoted, seeing that he bore death for Christ before all others. This the nail by its color indicates, for it may be cut off without any sensible pain.

The sardius with its tawny and translucent coloring suggests fire, and it possesses the virtue of healing tumors and wounds inflicted by iron; hence I consider that it designates the beauty of virtue characterizing the apostle Philip, for his virtue, animated by the fire of the Holy Spirit, cured the soul of the wounds inflicted by the wiles of the devil, and revived it. The chrysolite, gleaming with the splendor of gold, may symbolize Bartholomew, since he was illustrious for his divine preaching and his store of virtues. The beryl, imitating the colors of the sea and of the air, and not unlike the jacinth, seems to suggest the admirable Thomas, especially as he made a long journey by sea, and even reached the Indies, sent by God to preach salvation to the peoples of that region.

The topaz, which is of a ruddy color, resembling somewhat the carbuncle, stops the discharge of the milky fluid with which those having eye-disease suffer. This seems to denote Matthew, for he was animated by a divine zeal, and, his blood being fired because of Christ, he was found worthy to enlighten by his Gospel those whose heart was blinded, that they might like new-born children drink of the milk of the faith.

The chrysoprase, more brightly tinged with a golden hue than gold itself, symbolizes St. Thaddaeus; the gold (chrysos) symbolizing the kingdom of Christ, and the prassius, Christ's death, both of which he preached to Abgar, King of Edessa.

The jacinth, which is of a celestial hue, signifies Simon Zelotes, zealous for the gifts and grace of Christ and endowed with a celestial prudence. By the amethyst, which shows to the onlooker a fiery aspect, is signified Matthias, who in the gift of tongues was so filled with celestial fire and with fervent zeal to serve and please God, who had chosen him, that he was found worthy to take the place of the apostate Judas. Some theologians were opposed to the assignment of the foundation stones to the apostles, for they held that only Christ himself could be regarded as the foundation of his Church. Hence the symbolism of these stones was made to apply to Christ alone, the color of the stone often guiding the commentator in his choice of ideas denoted by the different gems. Thus, one writer, applying all the meanings to Christ, finds that the greenish Jasper denotes satisfaction; the sky-blue Sapphire, the soul; the bright-red Chalcedony, zeal for truth; the transparent green Emerald, kindness and goodness; the nail-colored Sardonyx, the strength of spiritual life; the red Sardius, readiness to shed His blood for the Church; the yellow Chrysolite, the excellence of His divine nature; the seagreen Beryl, moderation and the control of the passions; the glass-green Topaz (chrysolite ?), uprightness; the harsh-colored Chrysoprase, sternness towards sinners; the violet or purple Jacinth, royal dignity, and, lastly, the purple Amethyst, with a touch of red, perfection. (Georgius Vitringa, "Nauwkeurige onderzoek van de goddelyke Openbaring der H. Apostels Johannes," Dutch trans. of Latin by M. Gargon, Amsterdam, 1728, vol. ii, p. 681.) Andreas of Caesarea freely recognizes his indebtedness to the much more ancient source, St. Epiphanius, bishop of Constantia in Cyprus, who died in 402 A.D., and who wrote a short but very valuable treatise on the stones of the breastplate, noting in several cases the therapeutic and talismanic virtues of these stones and giving his opinion as to the order in which the names of the tribes were inscribed upon them. (Sancti Patris Epiphanii episcopi Cypri ad Diodorum Tyri episcopum, "De XII. Gemmis, quae erant in veste Aaronis," ed. Gesner, Tiguri, 1565.) As the foundation stones of Revelation are rightly called "apostolic stones," so those of the breastplate merit the designation of "tribal stones," as well as that of astral stones; indeed, the Jews of medieval times definitely associated the tribes with the zodiacal signs in the following order:

Judah Aries Issachar Taurus Zebulun Gemini Reuben Cancer Simeon Leo Gad Virgo Ephraim Libra Manasseh Scorpio Benjamin Sagittarius Dan Capricorn Naphtali Aquarius Asher Pisces For Rabanus Maurus the nine gems of the king of Tyre named in Ezekiel xxxviii, 13, are types of the nine orders of angels, just as the twelve foundation stones of Revelation signify the twelve apostles. (Rabani Mauri, "Opera Omnia," vol. v, col. 465; in Patrologiae Latinae, ed. Migne, vol. xvi, Paris, 1864.) It is evident, from early and later usage, that, at the place and time where and when these stones were first utilized for birth-stones, the year must have begun with the month of March. This will be apparent when we compare the following eight lists, carefully gathered from various sources: Month Jews Romans Isidore Bishop of Seville Arabians Poles Russians Italians 15th to 20th Century January Garnet Garnet Hyacinth Garnet Garnet Garnet Hyacinth Jacinth Garnet Garnet February Amethyst Amethyst Amethyst Amethyst Amethyst Amethyst Amethyst Amethyst Hyacinth Pearl March Jasper Bloodstone Jasper Bloodstone Bloodstone Jasper Jasper Jasper Bloodstone April Sapphire Sapphire Sapphire Sapphire Diamond Sapphire Sapphire Diamond Sapphire May Chalcedony Carnelian Agate Agate Agate Emerald Emerald Emerald Agate Emerald Agate June Emerald Emerald Emerald Agate Chalcedony Pearl Agate Chalcedony Agate Chalcedony Emerald Cat's-eye Turquoise Agate July Onyx Onyx Onyx Carnelian Ruby Ruby Sardonyx Onyx Turquoise Onyx August Carnelian Carnelian Carnelian Sardonyx Sardonyx Alexandrite Carnelian Sardonyx Carnelian Moonstone Topaz September Chrysolite Sardonyx Chrysolite Chrysolite Sardonyx Chrysolite Chrysolite Chrysolite October Aquamarine Aquamarine Aquamarine Aquamarine Aquamarine Beryl Beryl Beryl Opal November Topaz Topaz Topaz Topaz Topaz Topaz Topaz Topaz Pearl December Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby Turquoise Turquoise Chrysoprase Ruby Ruby Bloodstone It may be interesting to show in these eight lists the stones which are most favored in each month in the following way, the numerals indicating the number of lists in which the stones appear (including the alternate stones): January Garnet 7, hyacinth 2. February Amethyst 8, hyacinth 1, pearl 1. March Jasper 5, bloodstone 4. April Sapphire 7, diamond 2. May Agate 5, emerald 4, chalcedony 1, carnelian 1. June Emerald 4, agate 4, chalcedony 3, turquoise 1, pearl 1, cat's-eye 1. July Onyx 5, sardonyx 1, carnelian 1, ruby 1, turquoise 1. August Carnelian 5, sardonyx 3, moonstone 1, topaz 1, alexandrite 1. September Chrysolite 6, sardonyx 2. October Beryl, 8, aquamarine 5, opal 1. November Topaz 8, pearl 1. December Ruby 6, turquoise 2, chrysoprase 1, bloodstone 1.

With the exception of January, where we have the garnet instead of the jacinth, and of December, which gives us the ruby instead of the chrysoprase, the first choices are practically identical with the foundation stones, bearing in mind that the eleventh stone is that for January, the twelfth that for February, the first that for March and so on.