Spotlight on Symbols #8

 Apostles’ Shields

The next shield on our balcony represents James the Greater.  This was James the brother of John whom Herod put to the sword in Acts 12:2.  As a reminder of his martyrdom, his shield sometimes bears the image of a sword as well as the scallop shell which appears on ours. 

Our shield has three scallop shells, ancient symbols of pilgrimage.  In fact, it was common in the early church to baptize with a scallop shell because it reminded the congregation that baptism is the beginning of one’s pilgrimage with Christ.  Some of the earliest depictions in sacred art of Jesus’ baptism show John the Baptist lifting water from the Jordan with a scallop shell and placing it on Jesus’ head.  

Apparently James was a widely traveled itinerant missionary.  Another version of his shield contains the picture of a wallet conveying the fact that he yielded all his earthly possessions in the support of missions.