| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Acanthus | Heavenly gardens |
| Agnus Dei | The Lamb of God (Book of Revelation 5:12) |
| Alpha & Omega | Christ as the beginning and the end — the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet |
| Anchor | Maritime symbol; hope |
| Anemone | Immortality, resurrection |
| Angel | Messengers between God and man |
| Bird | The winged soul |
| Bleeding Heart | Grief, bereavement |
| Bluebell | Constancy, sorrow, regret |
| Book / Bible | The Word of God; education, knowledge |
| Butterfly | Resurrection, rebirth; often thought to be the souls of the past |
| Caduceus | Medicine |
| Calla Lily | Majestic beauty, marriage, sympathy, zeal |
| Candlestick | Christ, “the light of the world” |
| Celtic Cross | Irish ancestry |
| Celtic Knots | Connected throughout, symbolizing eternity |
| Celtic Owl | Guide through the afterlife |
| Celtic Tree of Life | The branches of Heaven and the roots of the Earth come together, symbolizing the connection of Heaven and Earth |
| Celtic Trinity Knot | Mother & father, children & grandchildren |
| Chalice | Eucharist, the Last Supper, priesthood |
| Chalice & Cross | Christ’s agony in the garden of Gethsemane |
| Cherub | Commemorates a child; Heaven’s messengers |
| Chi Rho | Christ & Christianity — Greek abbreviation for Christ (P with an X) |
| Circle | Eternity; pre-Christian symbol of perfection |
| Claddagh | Love and friendship (Irish) — crown is loyalty, hands are friendship, heart is love |
| Clasped Hands | Parting or farewell; unity in life and death; partnership |
| Clematis | Mental beauty |
| Climbing Rose | Love and devotion of the family |
| Coat of Arms / Crest / Shield | Family heritage |
| Cohanim Hands | Indicates the dignity of Jewish families of aristocracy |
| Cross (Latin) | Christianity’s greatest symbol |
| Cross & Crown | Life after death for the faithful; sovereignty of the Lord, King of Heaven |
| Crossed Bones | Death |
| Crown & Scepter | Kingly authority of the Lord |
| Cultivated Rose | Everlasting & eternal love; symbol of Our Lady; heavenly joy, beauty, hope |
| Daffodil | Beauty, deep regard, desire |
| Daisy | Youth, innocence, gentleness, purity in thought; Jesus the Infant |
| Dogwood | Christianity; divine sacrifice and triumph of eternal life; regeneration |
| Dove | Holy Ghost; purity, innocence, peace |
| Dragonfly | Change & transformation; joy; connection with nature |
| Draped Urn | Sorrow; commemorates those who have been cremated |
| Eagle | America; freedom, courage, strength; resurrection |
| Easter Lily | Purity, innocence, heavenly bliss, resurrection, and the Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Flame / Torch | The inner energy of the soul — always lit and always fueled by faith |
| Fleur-de-Lys | Annunciation, Trinity, and the Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Flutes | Unity |
| Fruit & Vine | Personality of Jesus Christ |
| Gladiolus | Incarnation |
| Grapevine | The Lord, the Church, Christ & His followers |
| Greek Cross | Faith and heavenly gardens |
| Harp | Joy, music, worship |
| Heart | Love |
| Holly | Passion of Christ |
| Hollyhock | Ambition, nature, fruitfulness, productiveness |
| Honeysuckle | Bonds of love, fidelity, generous and devoted affection, resurrection |
| Hourglass | Passage of time; with wings, the passing of time with immortality and the life beyond |
| IHS | Iesus Hominum Salvator — “Jesus, Savior of Men” (Latin) |
| INRI | Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum — “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews” (Latin) |
| Iris | Protection; sorrow of the Virgin at the Passion of Christ; a message |
| Ivy | Memory, friendship, faithfulness & immortality, eternal life, undying affection, happiness, protection, regeneration |
| Jonquil | Desire, regard |
| Lamb & Book | Divine inspiration and enlightenment |
| Lamp | Word of God; learning or teaching; modesty and temperance |
| Laurel | Special achievement, distinction, success, triumph, chastity, glory, atonement, reward and victory |
| Lily | Purity, innocence, virginity, heavenly bliss; the Virgin, the Annunciation, the Resurrection; the Lord’s human nature |
| Lily of the Valley | Purity, humility, renewed happiness; the Virgin Mary; brides |
| Lion | Bravery |
| Lotus | Regeneration, perfection, youthful bloom, immortality, silence, eloquence |
| Madonna Lily (Candidum) | Annunciation, purity, heavenly bliss |
| Menorah | Seven-branched candelabra; ancient symbol of Judaism commemorating the temple erected by Solomon |
| Morning Glory | Resurrection, youth, bonds of love and affection, farewell, departure |
| Mystic Rose | The Mother |
| Narcissus | Regard; triumph of divine love; eternal life over death; sacrifice |
| Oak Leaf | Strength, endurance and forgiveness; faith, virtue, stability, honor, liberty, hospitality |
| Olive Branch | Peace |
| Owl | Wisdom |
| Palm | Spiritual victory, eternal peace, heavenly reward, success, righteousness |
| Palm Leaf | Heavenly reward, victory, spiritual victory |
| Pansy | Remembrance, meditation, humility, the Holy Trinity |
| Passion Flower | The story of the Lord’s Passion and death; redemption, faith, crucifixion |
| Patriarchal Cross | For cardinals and archbishops |
| Phoenix | Resurrection & eternal life |
| Pine / Pine Cone | Boldness, fidelity, stability, fertility, regeneration, healing |
| Poinsettia | Nativity; birth of hope |
| Poppy | Restful sleep and consolation; fertility, peace |
| Praying Hands | Deep and abiding faith |
| Rainbow | Supernatural beauty; promise and enlightenment |
| Reeds | Family unity |
| Rings | Marriage |
| Rising Sun | Dawn of life |
| Rope | No beginning and no end — as God has no beginning and no end; eternity |
| Rosary | Worship or prayer |
| Rose | Messianic hope, love, Our Lord, the Nativity, beauty |
| Rosette | Messianic hope and promise; love |
| Scallop Shell | Baptism (of Christ) |
| Scroll | Holy Scriptures |
| Shamrock | Trinity; associated with Ireland |
| Ship | The Church and the State; salvation and emigration |
| Star of David | Jewish; divine protection |
| Sunburst | Light; Jesus is the light of the world |
| Thistle | Independence, austerity, earthly sorrows; national flower of Scotland; sin, the Fall of man |
| Tree of Life | Eternal life, protection |
| Triangle | Trinity — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit |
| Tulip | Love, affection and charity; eternal life |
| Violet | Modesty, faithfulness |
| Water Lily | Charity |
| Wheat | Bread of Life in the Holy Eucharist |
| Wheat with Grape & Vine | The Holy Eucharist — the Body and Blood of Christ; use restricted to Holy Orders |
| Wild Rose | True love and devotion; Messianic hope & promise; Blessed Virgin Mary; simplicity, modesty |
| Winged Skull | The soul’s flight |
| Winged Wheel | Commerce |
| Wreath | Remembrance, meditation, death |
| Wreath of Bay | Mourning |
| Wreath of Ivy | Conviviality |
| Wreath of Laurel | Reward, bliss |
| Wreath of Oak | Strength, endurance and forgiveness; faith, virtue, stability |
| Wreath of Roses | Heavenly bliss |
| Wreath of Willow | Bereavement, mourning |
| Wreath of Yew | Immortality, resurrection |
| Yahrzeit | A basin of oil on which a lighted wick floats — a traditional Jewish commemorative ritual |
| Yin Yang | (Monad) Mystic union of a man and woman; wedlock |
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