THE SYMBOLS OF THE 4 EVANGELISTS

St. Matthew-winged man.

St. Matthew’s Gospel focuses on the humanity of Christ, Saint Jerome affirms. In fact, it is Matthew who includes the narrative about the genealogy of Jesus.

St. Mark-winged lion.

St. Mark’s Gospel emphasizes the majesty of Christ and his royal dignity, just as the lion has traditionally been regarded as the king. His Gospel begins with the prophetic voice of John the Baptist, crying out in the wilderness like a lion’s roar.

St. Luke-winged ox.

St. Luke’s Gospel focuses on the sacrificial character of Christ’s death, and the ox has always been a sacrificial animal par excellence, both for Judaism and Roman. In Luke’s depiction of the Nativity, the ox, with the donkey, bears witness to the birth of the Messiah.

St. John-rising eagle.

St. John’s Gospel describes the Incarnation of the divine Logos, and the eagle is a symbol of that which comes from above. The second, because like the eagle, John in his Revelation was able to see beyond what is immediately present.

Source: Catechists of St. Francis Xavier