Symbols permeate most religions. To the faithful who recognize them, they are instant reminders of major beliefs or historic associations intrinsic to the particular faith they embody.
The cross is perhaps the the most common Christian religious symbol. Christians instantly recognize it as a representation of the sacrifice and love of Jesus Christ.
For those of the Jewish faith, the Star of David is a similar icon and has become the national symbol for Israel. The six-pointed star is believed to be the shape or emblem on King David's shield in the Old Testament.
Almost all faiths have adopted religious symbols in one form or another. Some are manifest in the architecture of the church buildings; others are used for more personal expressions of faith.
Nora Mancuso, who owns Mancuso's Religious Goods and Gifts in Salt Lake City, says wearable religious symbols are a hot item. Topping the list is the St. Christopher medal, kept in cars by many Catholics.
Mancuso believes popularity has increased because Catholics are more in tune with the various patron saints these days.
Laura Sida of Salt Lake City faithfully wears a St. Christopher medallion and carries another in her car.
"I have a tendency to get into (car) accidents," she said. "I should have been killed twice."
Sida credits St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, for her survival. A devout Catholic, she attends Mass each week.
"Who cares if it's coincidence? It makes me feel better," she said.
"I'm stressed when I don't have it with me," she said. "If I have it, I feel like I have an edge."
Personal symbols run the gamut from jewelry to tattoos of the cross or the Madonna. They include WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets that are popular among Protestants and CTR (Choose the Right) rings that are widely seen among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah. The symbol of the fish, another popular Christian symbol, adorns numerous cars and trucks. Those symbols are increasingly being seen on T-shirts and other apparel as well.
"Every religion has symbols of one shape or more to remind members of the original, central essence of their faith," said Roger Keller, a Brigham Young University professor of religion. "It's nothing new. Symbols have always permeated religion."
Keller said such symbolism is an inherent part of buildings and church rites. He said close scrutiny reveals symbols not readily apparent to the unchurched.
"As I look at the religions I teach (about), symbols are an essential part of every religion," Keller said.
In the Catholic Church, the hand is a symbol for the spirit of God, the Father, Spirit of Peace. The "Lamb of God" is a symbol applied to Jesus. and the dove represents the Holy Spirit. The chalice is a Catholic symbol for the Lord's Supper.
Candles and incense are used to augment belief in the intercessional power of deity in behalf of church members,
Church buildings often bear intricate symbols. The Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 E. South Temple, is loaded with symbolism.
Deacon Owen Cummings of the Salt Lake Diocese, said the Cathedral of the Madeleine has a delightful number of symbols, most inside the building. Perhaps not enough Catholics have an adequate sense of these symbols, he said.
"Cathedrals came out of the Medieval period," he said. "They were all heavily symbolic."
He said the great height of the buildings was symbolic of the transcendence of God. The altars faced east or into the light, while churchgoers symbolically walked into the building from the west, out of the darkness, and most cathedrals were shaped like a cross.
LDS Church members from Utah's pioneer era created several symbols that persist into the present day. A representation of a covered wagon or handcart has become a symbol of faith and sacrifice, and the beehive has traditionally been a symbol of industry and hard work in the Beehive State.
Church temples are often located on hills or near water to symbolize their elevation from the world and the power of the living waters of Christ.
Interiors of the temples have depictions to represent the creation of the world, life on earth and the celestial world where God dwells.
Temple exteriors can also be highly symbolic. The Salt Lake Temple has six towers or spires. The three eastern spires (which are six feet taller than those on the west) represent the First Presidency of the church, while the western spires are symbolic of the Presiding Bishopric of the church.
For Buddhists, the main symbol is an eight-spoked wheel representing the path leading to the end of suffering. The aspects of the eight-fold path represent understanding, intention, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and contemplation.
A crescent beside a star is the most common symbol associated with Islam. The crescent represents the crescent moon, an important symbol for Muslims because it means a new moon is coming and heralds the start of many important religious festivals for the faith. The star is another part of the heavens, though not all Muslims agree on the crescent-star symbol's meaning. The arch or crescent shape is often used to symbolize a fertile farming area.
For more information on the symbolism of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, consult "The Story of the Cathedral of the Madeleine" book by Bernice Maher Mooney.
More details on the symbolism of the Salt Lake LDS Temple is available from the Church Magazine archive on www.lds.org by looking at "The Salt Lake Temple," by Dean R. Zimmerman, New Era Magazine, June 1978, pages 33-36.
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com