ChristStory Bestiary

SWALLOW

The Light of Christ

Prior to the advent of Christianity, the swallow was symbolic of the afterlife and personal resurrection. In Egypt and Babylon, swallow images were associated with funerary practices and represented the hope of a richer life after death. Ancient Greeks and Romans believed the souls of dead children lived on in the bodies of swallows.

Until the 18th century, swallows were believed to bury themselves in the mud and hibernate during winter. Their legendary rebirth in the spring made them symbolic of Christ's resurrection from the dead. In Sweden, the swallow was believed to have encouraged the crucified Savior by calling Svala! Svala! (Cheer up! Cheer up!) as he flitted about the cross. In Armenia, it was rumored that every spring, Israel's swallows gathered at Christ's tomb on Good Friday Eve. There they awaited Easter morning when they flew off two by two calling out the good news of the Resurrection to the ends of the earth. Good fortune awaited those who saw swallows during Holy Week.

Eventually, the migratory habits of the swallow were discovered and put to symbolic use. Like all migratory birds, the swallow represented spring, hope, fertility and renewal. Followers of Islam believed this bird's annual journey was actually an annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

Because it always returns to the same nest, the swallow is symbolic of the family and of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32). Its nest represents the Church to which the straying Christian may always return. Because it flees in cold weather, the swallow symbolizes the fair weather friend and the Christ who flees the chilling soul only to return when the heart grows warmer.

In pictures of the Annunciation and the Nativity, swallows represent the incarnation of Christ.

From Ancient Greece to Africa, the flitting of the swallow caused it to be associated with moral purity as its feet never touched the ground. In other regions, it was observed that the swallow's feet did indeed touch the ground, but only to gather mud with which to build its nest. Therefore, it was associated with impurity.

Mixed views were also taken of the swallow's insect-hunting habits. On the one hand, it was considered a benevolent spirit since it killed gnats and flies which represented demons. In France, its nest, even when abandoned for the season was enough to keep evil spirits at bay. Other people believed the gnats represented human souls. To them the swallow stood for the Devil who consumed the unwary.

Along the Mediterranean Coast, it was noticed that when the swallow dived from great heights, her form resembled that of the anchor. So the Mediteraneans made swallows symbolic of the heavenly hope which those who anchor themselves in Christ enjoy.

More than any other bird, the swallow came to represent light - both physical and spiritual. This is because the swallow fed its children on the sap of the celandine or "Swallow Flower" which was associated with the restoration of sight. The swallow was believed to blind her young in order to keep her babies from prematurely flying out of the nest to their deaths. When the swallow returned to her nest, she restored the baby birds' sight with a potion made from the celandine poppy. Belief in the swallow's potion was so strong that swallow's blood was used in eye medicines for people and it was believed that killing a swallow would cause a man to go blind in later years. The supposed temporary blinding of the baby swallows caused the swallow to be associated with the Christ who alternately blinds and restores spiritual light and reason to Christians according to the needs of their souls (Examples: Paul on the road to Damasus in Acts 9 and King Nebuchadnezzar's temporary insanity in Daniel 4:24-37).

The swallow is also associated with motherhood, good fortune, prudence, prayer, fidelity, unfaithfulness, courage, and danger.

All scripture quotes are from the NKJV Bible.