Catholic saint statues are not only exquisite art works, but also a concrete representation of faith. Each statue and each symbol conveys saint’s story and Biblical doctrine. These statues are like a bridge for us to communicate with God, allowing the wisdom and love of heaven to truly shine into our hearts. Here, we can share symbols, stories and meaning of saints statues.
Saint Joseph Statue
Joseph is the Worker Patron Saint. He usually holds baby Jesus in his arms, showing his care for Jesus. As believers, we should love our families like Joseph. As the Bible teaches, wives should obey their husbands and husbands should love their wives. Parents should start children off on the way they should go.
St. Joseph also holds a square and a lily. Square symbolizes his professional identity – carpenter, which is his craft to survive and support family. Lily represents his purity and righteousness. St. Joseph statue can always teach us to stick to our faith and obedience to God.
Saint Michael Statue
Statue of Saint Michael usually shows him holding a sword and stepping on the devil. The sword symbolizes God’s truth and judgment. Saint Michael will protect us from the devil and give us the strength to overcome temptation and suffering.
Saint Anthony Statue
St. Anthony of Padua’s life is full of legends. He once preached to fish. When he stood on the shore and began to preach, the scattered fish gathered together and listened quietly. This was sometimes used as his attribute. He often holds a white lily stalk, representing his purity. Another key symbol is an open book in which the Christ Child himself appears. Over time the child came to be shown considerably larger than book. So St Anthony statue typically appears carrying baby Jesus.
Saint Francis Statue
St. Francis statue accompanied by wolf and bird, which conveys his love of all things. He adhered to poverty throughout his life and cared for the poor, the sick and all life in nature. The Biblical teaching, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15), is vividly reflected in him. He preached to birds and tamed wolves. This is also the symbol of his sculpture. It can always remind us that all things are created by God and we should treat all creations with humility and love.
Saint Charbel Statue
Saint Charbel was known for curing illnesses and settling disputes during his lifetime, and believers traveled long distances to his retreat to seek blessings. After his death, he also performed many miracles. The most famous of these was Nohad El Shami, a 55-year-old woman who was cured of partial paralysis. Saint Charbel statue is often displayed by holding a Bible and praying with his eyes closed. We can place this statue to pray for the healing of illnesses and the resolution of difficulties.
Saint Paul Statue
St. Paul persecuted Christians in his early years. Later, he encountered a vision of Jesus on the way to Damascus. He was blind for three days before repenting and being baptized. He went through three missionary journeys, established many churches, laid the foundation of Christian theology with 13 letters, and was eventually beheaded and martyred during the Roman persecution.
His sculptures often show him holding a sword and a Bible. Sword symbolizes “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible represents his mission to spread the gospel and establish church with the word of God. Sculpture not only shows Paul’s appearance, but also symbolizes his firm belief in the path of faith.
 
James the Great
Saint James statues are often accompanied by a scallop and a staff. The scallop symbolizes his identity as a pilgrim. He responded to Jesus’ call, gave up everything to follow the Lord, and was later sent to spread gospel to the Gentiles. The staff represents the authority of the apostle. With his firm faith and spirit of sacrifice, he practiced Christ’s teaching that go and make disciples of all nations. He can encourage us to move forward on the path of faith.
Saint Peter Statue
Saint Peter holds key of the kingdom of heaven, which comes from Jesus’ promise to him: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19). He is the rock of church, symbolizing the authority and mission given by God. We look up to him, remembering stability of church on the foundation of Christ, and reminding ourselves to seek God’s guidance in our faith life.
John the Apostle
Saint John statue is often accompanied by a wine cup and a coiled snake. He once faced the temptation of poisonous wine, but was safe and sound because of Jesus’ protection, symbolizing that “An these signs will accompany those who believe… and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all” (Mark 16:17-18). He reminds us to rely on God’s power in trials, face challenges with faith, and spread the gospel with love.
Religious Significance of Saint Statues
These saints statues use symbols to tell biblical stories and truth of faith. A customer has shared that gazing at St. Michael statue gives him courage to overcome difficulties. Some families have regained their emphasis on faith and family responsibilities because of St. Joseph statue. These statues help us always remember the teachings of the Bible.
May God’s love, peace, joy and grace be with us always.
