Paschal Lamb

WOTD - 5 April 2010    

English

Stained glass depiction of Paschal Lamb

Alternative forms

• paschal lamb

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈpæs.kəl ˈlæm/, /ˈpɑːs.kəl ˈlæm/
• (US) IPA: /ˈpæs.kəl ˈlæm/

Noun

Paschal Lamb (plural Paschal Lambs)

1. (historical) The lamb eaten at Passover.
   • c.1530, John Frith, "The Paschal Lamb and our Sacrament are here Compared Together"

     The Paschal Lamb was instituted and eaten the night before the children of Israel were indeed delivered from Egypt.

2. (figuratively) Jesus Christ, symbolized as a sacrifice.
3. (heraldry) A lamb depicted with nimbus and bearing a flag (usually St. George's cross: argent a cross gules).
   • 1894, James Parker, A Glossary of Terms used in Heraldry, revised edition, page 362

     […] but when the Holy or Paschal Lamb is intended then the face should be guardant or reguardant.

Synonyms

• (Jesus as sacrifice): Agnus Dei, Lamb of God
• (heraldry): Holy Lamb

Translations

the lamb eaten at Passover

Czech: velikonoční beránek (cs) m. Finnish: pääsiäislammas (fi) French: agneau de Pâques (fr) German: Osterlamm (de) n. Italian: agnello pasquale (it) m.

Russian: пасхальный агнец (ru) m. Spanish: cordero de Pascua Florida (es)

Jesus Christ, symbolized as a sacrifice

Czech: svatá ovečka (cs) f., svatý beránek (cs) m. Finnish: Jumalan Karitsa (fi) French: Agneau Pascal (fr), Agneau de Dieu (fr), Agneau Mystique (fr)

Russian: Агнец Божий (ru) m. Spanish: Cordero de Dios (es)

heraldry: a lamb depicted with nimbus and bearing a flag

Dutch: paaschlam (nl) Finnish: Jumalan Karitsa (fi)

French: agneau pascal (fr) Italian: agnello pasquale (it) m.

See also

• Korban Pesach on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Korban Pesach
• Lamb of God on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Lamb of God