Eucharistic Pelican T-Shirt
It's the final year of the Eucharistic Revival. In celebration, we created the Eucharistic Pelican shirt to honor both our deep faith and our beloved Louisiana, merging the state flag with the profound symbolism of the Pelican in Catholicism.
The image of a mother pelican and her chicks is commonly showcased in locations connected to the Eucharist, such as the tabernacle doors, the altar's forefront, a stained glass window within the sanctuary, and the ornate patterns adorning a chalice.
About this design
Christians see parallels between the mother pelican and her chicks and Jesus and his followers. The mother pelican represents Jesus, the chicks represent us. The chicks dwell in the safety of the nest, believers dwell in the safety of the Church. The mother is the head of the nest, and Jesus is the head of the Church (Eph 1:22). The mother has an intense concern for her chicks and it goes against her nature to allow any of them to perish, and Jesus has a great love for us and wants none of us to perish.
When food is in short supply, the pelican pierces its breast with its sharp, pointed beak, and the side of Jesus was pierced by a sharp, pointed lance (Jn 19:34a). Blood flows from the pelican’s breast, and blood flowed from Jesus’ side (Jn 19:34b). The mother’s blood is drink for her chicks, and the blood of Jesus is “true drink” (Jn 6:55b). The mother gives her life that her chicks might live, and Jesus laid down his life that we might live (Jn 15:13). The mother’s blood saves the lives of the chicks, and the blood of Jesus is salvation and eternal life (Jn 6:54) for those who receive it. Because of these striking similarities, the mother pelican and her chicks have come to represent the Eucharist, as well as redemption and salvation.