ChristStory Bestiary

PHOENIX

Rebirth from the Ashes

There are many, many descriptions of this legendary bird which has never been seen. Al-Jili considers the phoenix a prime example of unseen things (such as God) which can only be understood through their names and attributes. Some describe the phoenix as an eagle-sized bird; half eagle and half pheasant. Others say it is heron-like or a conglomeration of the most beautiful parts of all the birds in the world. Its name comes from the Greek word for "red" because the phoenix is associated with fire and the sun. It has been described as golden or multi-colored. Some say it never eats. Others say it eats only dew. Most believe it lives alone in Arabia or Ethiopia. All agree it is a bird of great beauty.

The most interesting thing about the phoenix is its immortality which had to be renewed with fire every 300 to 500 years. When the end of its life cycle drew near, the phoenix would gather aromatic herbs, woods, and spices from around the world with which to build its own funeral pyre or nest. Sitting in the nest, it would ignite the fire either by fanning its wings or with the aid of the sun's rays. Once the old body was consumed, the phoenix would be reborn from a worm, its marrow, or an egg found among the ashes and would embark on another 500 years of life. According to some legends, the renewed phoenix carried its old bones to the City of the Sun in Egypt where they were disposed of with special funeral rites.

In Jewish legend, the phoenix's name is Milcham. According to tradition, after Eve ate the forbidden fruit, she became jealous of the immortality and purity of the other creatures in the garden. Eventually, she persuaded all the animals except the phoenix to share in her fallen state by eating from the forbidden tree. God rewarded the phoenix by setting him up in a walled city where he could live in great peace for 1000 years. At the end of every 1000 year period, the bird is consumed by fire and reborn from an egg found in its ashes. One variation of this Jewish legend states that at the end of each 1000 year period, the phoenix's body becomes small and featherless like a baby's and then he grows up all over again. In any case, the Angel of Death may never touch him.

In Egypt the phoenix is known as Bennu or Bynw. It is an emblem of the sun god and is associated with Osiris, the ruler of the underworld. Osiris, who himself was resurrected, gave the Bennu the secrets of eternal life. In Egypt, the Bennu was symbolic of other cycles such as those of the sun's rising and setting and the Nile's beneficial annual floods.

Every 500 years, the Bennu flew to the Sun Temple in Heliopolis where the priests were waiting to assist it. The bird then built a large funeral pyre of spices, climbed on top, and allowed the sun's rays to consume it. From the ashes, a worm was born which grew into an adult Bennu by the end of the day.

The Chinese Feng-huang is most likely the same bird as the phoenix. It is made of all the most desirable parts of earth's creatures: the snake's neck, the crane's forehead, the dragon's stripes, the fish's tail, the tortoise's shell, the swallow's throat, and the fowl's bill. It may be seen only during times of peace and prosperity. It is sometimes pictured with a fiery ball representing its association with the sun. It is the emperor of birds and is called the "scarlet bird."

The Feng-huang lives in the Kingdom of the Wise which is somewhat to the east of China. It drinks the purest water and eats bamboo. Whenever it sings, all the roosters in the world join in its five noted melody. Its marrow is considered heavenly food. This bird is the Chinese emperor's protector. The male Feng-huang symbolizes happiness and the female Feng-huang represents the empress. A pair of Feng-huangs symbolize marital bliss. At human conception, this remarkable bird delivers the soul of the infant to its mother's womb.

Wherever it is found, the phoenix is associated with resurrection, immortality, triumph over adversity, and that which rises out of the ashes. Thus it became a favorite symbol on early Christian tombstones. In chapters 25-26 of his letter to the Corinthians, St. Clement, Bishop of Rome, upheld the legendary phoenix as an evidence of Christ's ability to accomplish the resurrection of the faithful. He quotes Job as saying, "Thou shalt raise up this flesh of mine, which has suffered all these things."

In numerous ways, the phoenix was found to be a symbol of Christ. In most countries, it was believed that only one phoenix lived at a time. It was born from itself without following the natural laws of reproduction. During the Middle Ages, it was believed to rise from the dead after three days.

Often, as an emblem of Christ, it was found with the palm tree (another symbol of resurrection) or carrying a palm branch (a symbol of triumph over death), or carrying an olive branch (a symbol of God's peace offered to humans).

The Phoenix is symbolic of rebirth, hope, purity, chastity, marriage, faith, constancy, summer, eternity, immortality, and light. It is an image of the cosmic fire some believe the world began and will end in. The Taoists called it the "cinnabar bird." Romans placed the phoenix on coins and medals as an emblem of their desire for the Roman empire to last forever.

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes are from the NKJV Bible.