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This site offers a gallery of images you are likely to find in many Christian churches along with explanations to help you understand their meaning and significance. In addition, you will find information about the symbolism of various church furnishings and architectural features, as well as explanations of the seasonal elements of liturgical worship.

Symbols have been used by the Christian church since the earliest ages for many reasons:

• As a secret sign among the faithful during times of persecution.
• As a means of teaching biblical truths to those unable to read.
• As a way of reminding believers of God's sovereignty over all creation.
• As a means of memorializing God's divine activity in human history.

Just as observing the seasons of the church year is a way of acknowledging that Jesus is the Lord of Time, using symbols in the church and teaching about their meaning is a way of proclaiming that the earth is the Lord's and that He is sovereign over human history. Symbols enable us to carry our spiritual awareness out of the sanctuary and into the created world, into our own human experience.

In this day of increasing secularization and popularization of worship and church life, we are at risk of losing the rich language of Christian symbolism and seasonal observances. These pages are offered both as the testimony of a personal study, and as a resource for Christians who wish to learn the sign language of the Christian faith.