Home › Religious Uses: Pagan, Hebrew, and Christian › Religious Uses: Pagan, Hebrew, and Christian: England

Religious Uses: Pagan, Hebrew, and Christian: England

In some epitaphs the hope of the resurrection finds expression in likening the body enclosed in its narrow coffin to a precious jewel in its casket. The following lines from a tombstone erected in 1655 to the memory of Mary Courtney, at Fowell, Cornwall, England, give a good example of this class of inscription: (Ravenshaw, "Antiente Epitaphs," London, 1878.) Near this a rare jewell's set, Clos'd up in a cabinet. Let no sacrilegious hand Breake through--'tis ye strickte comaund Of the jeweller: who hath sayd (And 'tis fit he be obey'd) I'll require it safe and sound Both above and under ground.

In a churchyard at Prittlewell, Essex, England, a rather whimsical treatment of the same idea is offered by some verses engraved on the stone marking the graves of two wives of a certain Freeborne the first of whom died in 1641 and the second in 1658. The bereaved husband seems to have been perfectly willing to await the Day of Judgment for the return of his lost spouses: (Ravenshaw, "Antiente Epitaphs," London, 1878.) Under this stone two precious gems do ly Equall in weight, worth, lustre, sanctity: Yet perhaps one of them do excell; Which was't who knows? ask him yt knew yem well By long enjoyment. If he thus be prest, He'el pause, then answere: truly both were best: Were't in my choice that either of ye twain Might be returned to me to enjoy agayne, Which should I chuse? Well, since I know not whether; Ile mourne for the losse of both, but wish for neither, Yet here's my comfort, herein lyes my hope, The tyme a comeinge cabinets shall ope Which are lockt fast: then shall I see My Jewells to my joy, my Jewells mee. The Christian symbolism of colors has in many cases determined the use of certain colored gems for religious ornaments, and therefore the following summary of their principal significance is of interest here: (See Audsley, "Handbook of Christian Symbolism," London, 1865.) WHITE is regarded as the first of the canonical colors, and as emblematic of purity, innocence, virginity, faith, life, and light. For this reason it is used in the ceremonies of Easter and Christmas, as in those of the Circumcision and Epiphany of Our Lord. As the color of virginity it is especially appropriate for the festival of the Virgin Mary, and as that of faith not sealed with blood, for the festivals of the saints who were not martyred. The heavenly host of angels and saints wear white robes, and in pictures of the Assumption of the Virgin she is frequently clad in white. RED is used at the feasts of the Exaltation and Invention of the Cross, at Pentecost, and at the Feast of Martyrs. It suggests and symbolizes suffering and martyrdom for the faith, and the supreme sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross. Divine love and majesty are also typified by this color. BLUE is an emblem of the celestial regions and of the celestial virtues. Nevertheless, as this is not one of the five canonical colors, it is not employed for the decoration of churches or for ecclesiastical vestments. In Christian art, however, the Virgin and the saints and angels are often robed in blue.

YELLOW of a golden hue is emblematic of God's goodness and of faith and good works, but it is not a canonical color. A dull yellow, however, has the opposite signification, and is a type of treachery and envy. Hence Judas is garbed in yellow of a dull hue, and heretics wore garments of this shade when they were condemned to the stake.