ChristStory Bestiary

UNICORN

Strength & Virginity

The unicorn is a mythical creature. Strong, wild, and fierce - it was impossible to tame by man. God asks Job, "Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?" (Job 39:9-10).

Its white coloring made it a natural symbol for purity, chastity and virginity. The power virginity had over this creature was believed to be such that he would stop in his tracks at the approach of a virgin. Legend has it that the only way the unicorn could be captured was to set a virgin in a place frequented by unicorns. The unicorn, who craves purity, would be irresistably drawn to the girl and lie down with his head in her lap. While it slept, the hunter could capture it. If, however, the girl was merely pretending to be a virgin, the unicorn would tear her apart.

The legend of the hunter and virgin bait became an allegory of the Incarnation. de Caumont and others said that the unicorn in the story above represented Christ; the virgin stood for Mary and humanity in general; and the hunter equalled the Jews who would crucify Jesus. In time, the unicorn became an attribute of Christ; Mary; the righteous; and St. Justina of Antioch who defended her virginity against the magician Cyprian and the Devil. The representation of the Incarnation by the use of a unicorn was forbidden by the Council of Trent because of the lack of real unicorns. The word once translated as "unicorn" in most modern Bibles is now translated as "wild ox."

The horn of the unicorn was the weapon of the faithful and of Christ. This would be the Gospel, also considered to be the sword or word of God which, like a unicorn's sharp horn, pierces all that it touches. The unicorn's horn became an emblem of Christ the Physician since He wounds only to heal. St. John Chrysostom thought the unicorn's horn was a fit symbol for the cross of Christ with which the faithful (represented by the unicorn itself) fought off their enemies. In the Bible, God is said to have the strength of a unicorn (Num 23:22; 24:8).

The warlike fierceness of the unicorn is referred to when Ephraim and Manasseh are described as being like the horns of unicorns (Deu 33:17). The terrifying destruction of Idumea is completed when God sends unicorns and wild bulls to attack the people (Isa 34:8; see also Psa. 92:10; Psa 22:21).

Unless otherwise noted all scripture quotes are from the KJV Bible.