Thoughts on the Brown Pelican
Because of the way that the pelican feeds its young, many who observed this bird in medieval times believed that the pelican pierced its own breast to feed its offspring. Thus, it has stood as a symbol of self-sacrifice and nurturing for centuries. Depictions of the pelican are meant to indicate Christ the Saviour who shed his blood in a like manner. This symbolism is still seen today in the Louisiana state seal. The BP oil spill has made the parallelism between the pelican and Jesus all the more apparent. Will this species die for our human sins?
