Symbolism fascinates me, especially that steeped in religious belief. The etymology of Christian (the one I know the most about since it was how I was raised) celebrations, idols, and icons intrigue me.

Lives of saints are particularly interesting to me. Saint Jude is the patron saint of lost causes, hopeless cases, and police men (I win on two of those three points).

Saint Cecile – for all of you musicians and music lovers – is the Roman patroness of music, specifically, the piano.

I am fond of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, a French girl who lived her very short 24-year life gravely ill, but very fully. I think this attraction is because I had a relative very close to me die when she was very young. Her name was Theresa.

This saint’s symbol is the rose, and she represents simplicity and practicality…two virtues that could not be more opposite of my personality in some aspects.

In her writings, she says: “…all seems luminous to me; a single word uncovers for my soul infinite horizons; perfection seems simple; I see that it is enough to recognize one’s nothingness and to abandon oneself, like a child… Leaving to great souls, to great minds, the beautiful books I cannot understand, I rejoice to be little because only children…”

It reminds me often to be humble, to appreciate, to give and not expect. That’s important to me.

These medallions I got at the Notre Dame du Paris, as it indicates on one side. On the other, the sweet Sistine Madonna cherub from the Renaissance painter, Raphael. And the Saint Therese Rose. On the same trip, I had them blessed by one of the Pope’s cardinals when I reached Vatican City.

I keep them scented in Fluer d’Interdit (Forbidden Flower), a scent by French designer, Hubert de Givenchy.

Symbolism 🙂