More of Pretty As A Peacock freebie

It's a gloomy looking Saturday here in Norfolk. No doubt we will have another thunderstorm this evening. Meeting grandson, Tyler, and his new girlfriend for dinner. John (husband) jokingly referred to her as Serious Sally when he mentioned her to Tyler's half-sister, Larkin, this past weekend. "Serious" because Tyler thinks she is "The One." She's already met my husband but this will be my first meeting with her.

Receiving lots of beautiful photos via email from my son. He and wife just got back from a trip to Maine and Canada. I made this page using one of Anita's (from Just Art forum) multi frames:

Here is a poster like page I made using Rosie Designs' The Herbalist (available at E-Scape & Scrap)

Last post I talked about the importance of the peacock in India and China, but did you know it also appears in Christian texts?

Ancient Greeks believed that the flesh of peafowl did not decay after death, and so it became a symbol of immortality. This symbolism was adopted by early Christianity, and thus many early Christian paintings and mosaics show the peacock.... In Christian iconography the peacock is often depicted next to the Tree of Life.

For Christians the peacock is the symbol of purity. It represents eternal life and the Resurrection because it sheds its old feathers each year and grows new ones. The peacock is also used as a symbol of vanity because of its beauty and the way it displays his feathers. The white peacock reminds us of the bigger picture. But it also symbolizes purity. Clear from negative energy, pure in intention, action and thought. The white peacock is a symbol of pure light and unconditional love.

Christians believed that once someone has passed their soul rises and goes to heaven. This is why early Christians would spread the feathers of a peacock over the deceased since it symbolized a pure soul that was immune to corruption. The feathers were used as a measure to prevent the decaying of the human body as well. The peacock represents immortality, resurrection, and the spiritual teachings of Jesus Christ and the christian church.

Because of this belief that the peacock’s flesh did not decay after death, the peacock became a symbol of Christ, and, as such, early Christian paintings and mosaics use peacock imagery. When the peacock displays its tail, it looks like hundreds of eyes are watching us. Because of this, the peacock has been associated with the all-seeing eye of God Who sees all actions and all people, meaning that nothing escapes the universal Justice. The peacock also came to symbolize the all-seeing Catholic Church, who watches over her children continually, day and night.
The eyes of the peacock feathers also symbolize the beatific vision, the direct perception and knowledge of God as He truly is, enjoyed by Angels, Christ, and the Saints in Heaven, which was another reason it was a decorative motif on medieval tomb sculptures.

The Aberdeen Bestiary offers moral and allegorical lessons about the exotically beautiful bird. It explains that the pride of the peacock became a lesson for the Catholic who strives for perfection.
The peacock is a destroyer of serpents and the bestiaries tell us it could swallow the poisonous venom without harm. It then used the poisons it swallowed to create its colorful plumage. For this reason, its blood was believed to dispel evil spirits, and its feathers and meat to cure snake-bite and sickness. St. Augustine affirms this belief of the antiseptic qualities of the peacock flesh in The City of God. The early Christians believed that the peacock was offended by its ugly feet. So much so, that he would stop in his vain strutting and shriek angrily whenever he caught a glimpse of this blemish in his otherwise beautiful and dignified appearance. The lesson learned from the peacock in early bestiaries was that Christians ought also to lament and hate their own spiritual imperfections. And the peacock’s flesh, voice and eyes also had lessons for man: “The hard flesh of the peacock represents the minds of teachers, who remain unaffected by the flames of lust. The fearful voice of the peacock is like the voice of the preacher who warns sinners of their end in Hell. The "eyes" on the peacock's tail are to signify the ability of the teachers to foresee the danger we all face in the end. The raising of the peacock's tail when it is praised should remind us to not let pride from praise affect us, so we do not expose our ugly vanity.”

In Medieval times, a roasted peacock dressed with its feathers might be served at a banquet. In modern days it may shock many people to think of eating a peacock, but eating peacock is not forbidden even today. Some say it actually tastes pretty good. More flavorful than chicken and tender and has a sweetness and aroma that is unforgettable especially when prepared by a masterful chef. However, it is generally thought that peacock at a Medieval banquet was mostly to flaunt the host's prosperity.

Link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/iaa93pbgpb4477w/ws_PrettyPeacock_14.zip?dl=0