What does the rooster represent in Christianity?

Answer

Christianity has numerous symbols associated with it, such as the fish, the dove, the lamb, and, notably, the cross. One ancient symbol, commonly seen atop many church steeples in Europe, is the rooster, or cock. Various churches offer different explanations for including the rooster as a symbol of Christianity.

Images of roosters can be found in the Roman catacombs and on the tombs or sarcophagi of Christians in various locations. Weathervanes featuring roosters adorn old churches in Germany, Scotland, Norway, the Netherlands, and other countries.

In Catholic art, roosters are almost always linked to Peter, based on the gospel stories of Peter’s denial of Christ and his subsequent reconciliation. Before his arrest, Jesus foretold that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed twice the next morning. When the rooster crowed, Peter recalled Jesus’ words and “went out and wept bitterly” «And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.», (Matthew 26:75). The rooster symbolizes Peter’s denial of Christ and also represents his regret and repentance upon hearing the rooster’s crow. As a symbol, the rooster serves as a call to repentance.

In many cultures, the rooster’s habit of crowing at the break of each new day made it a symbol of the Christian’s triumph of light over darkness and the victory of life over death. Therefore, some churches interpret the rooster as a symbol of resurrection. Other churches view the rooster’s announcement of a new day as a symbol of the church’s duty to proclaim God’s new era of grace and forgiveness to a darkened world.

Some perceive the rooster as a symbol of Christ Himself, the One whose arrival brought the true light of the world.

He is the One in whose resurrection we place our hope. The rooster heralds the morning, just as Christ heralded an end to spiritual darkness and despair.

During the Middle Ages, the rooster became a popular Christian symbol on weathervanes, also referred to as weathercocks. Its crowing symbolized the Christian’s stance of vigilance and preparedness for the sudden return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment of humanity (Mark 13:32,35-36). Like the rooster, we await the dawn.