Our Instruments

The three intertwined fish. A single fish is a very ancient symbol for Christ and was used by members of the early Church as a secret sign to reveal their allegiance to Christ. The three fish as we see them here signify the Trinity and the salvation that comes from us from the Triune God. The circle shape represents the eternal nature of the Trinity, both in substance and in relationship. The sizes of the fish signify the equality of the three persons of the Trinity, and the intertwining signifies the unity of the Trinity. The whole symbol has also been used as a baptismal symbol, illustrating that baptism happens in the same name and under the blessing of the Trinity. For this reason, the symbol can also be found adoring the basin of our baptismal font.

In the Old Testament, the lamb is a powerful symbol, because the blood of a sacrificial lamb without blemish was commanded by God to be sprinkled on the doorposts of the Hebrew homes in Egypt, so that God's destroying angel might pass over them and spare the people of Israel. And so in the Old Testament, the lamb is a sign of God's deliverance.

But the symbol we have here is a New Testament symbol, variously called the Lamb of God, the Agnus Dei, or the Victory Lamb. It stands for Christ. Notice that the Lamb is not wounded, but carries a banner signifying the victorious nature of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, his victory over the powers of death. As such are Lamb's symbol signifies the resurrected Christ of all the symbols on the corona. This one for many, communicates the strongest feelings of hope and thanksgiving. That this symbol is also found on the front of our altar.

This symbol was originally an Old Testament symbol for the prophet Elijah, because a chariot of fire appeared when he was carried off to heaven in a whirlwind. The early Christian Church took the same symbol and applied it to the Ascension of Christ into Heaven, an event to which the Book of Acts bears testimony.

This symbol also predates Christianity. For the Jews, it was a symbol for completeness, as seven is the most sacred and complete of all numbers. In Jewish tradition, the seven-branched menorah still symbolizes God the Creator, as it reflects the seven days of creation.

For Christians, the seven-fold flame represents the Holy Spirit and the event of Pentecost, also reported in the Book of Acts. In addition to this, the Seven-Fold Flame has come to represent the seven gifts of the Spirit (being wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, godliness, and holy fear) and the seven virtues of faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude.

This symbol is a combination of two other symbols, those of the leading personalities of the Book of Acts, Saints Peter and Paul. Paul is symbolized by the sword because he was known in the early church as the "Sword of the Spirit," and also because the Sword was the instrument of his death in Rome. It is believed he was beheaded, a privilege granted to a Roman citizen who was to be executed, as opposed to be crucified, which was reserved for non-citizens like Jesus.

The Keys represent Peter, who by virtue of his confession that Jesus was Christ, was given by Him the gift of the Keys of the Kingdom, along with the power to bind and loose sins on Earth.

This is the symbol for Stephen. Symbols for St. Stephen often include depictions of three stones, but the craving have includes the Crossed Palms because this symbol represents Martyrs, of which Stephen was the first. The cote is part of Stephen's symbol because witnesses took off their coats and laid them at the feet of Paul, (then Saul) while he watched as Stephen was stoned to death.

Just as in the Old Testament, Noah's ark became a symbol for refuge and rescue, so for Christians the Sailing Ship has long been a symbol of the Church, as it is also where sanctuary and deliverance are offered to all living creatures. In fact, the sailing ship is so common a symbol of the Church that we call the very place where the faithful gather the "nave", which is the Latin word for "ship." Finally, it has also been called the the "Barque of Peter," the vessel in which Christians are taken to heaven.

In the Old Testament, this was a symbol for the entry into Canaan, the promised land. Spies sent to Canaan brought back to the Hebrews clusters of grapes as evidence of the bounty and beauty of the place. In the New Testament The design signifies the sacrament of Holy Communion. Wheat, which more properly represents the "Bread of Life" passages of the Gospels, is sometimes used to help represent the Holy Communion, but historically a cluster of grapes is the primary symbol.