Christianity has used
symbolism from its very beginnings. Each
saint has a story and a reason why he or she led an exemplary life. Symbols have been used to tell these stories throughout the history of the Church. A number of Christian
saints are traditionally represented by a symbol or
iconic motif associated with their life, termed an attribute or
emblem, in order to identify them. The study of these forms part of
iconography in
art history. They were particularly used so that the illiterate could recognize a scene, and to give each of the saints something of a personality in art. They are often carried in the hand by the saint.