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    givemeaqq's Avatar
    givemeaqq Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Oct 14, 2004, 08:00 AM
    Knights of Columbus Rings
    I was recently at a Knights of Columbus dinner for a Past Grand Knight where he was presented with a ring. The ring had the Knights Emblem on the face, a PGK on one side, and what appeared to be a skull with cross bones on the other. I was wondering what the significance of the skull and bones would be on this type of ring.
    Thank You
    Liz
    aquaman's Avatar
    aquaman Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #2

    May 12, 2006, 01:25 PM
    The skull is a reminder to all Knights that we are not long on this earth; since our days are few, we should make the best use of our time, serving God, our families, and our fellow man.
    Morganite's Avatar
    Morganite Posts: 863, Reputation: 86
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    #3

    May 12, 2006, 02:45 PM
    there is a definite seriousness to the human skull.
    bound by mortality, death’s head has long been the
    mark we associate with secret societies, toxic
    substances and black-flagged pirate ships serving
    most commonly as a warning to those who fear
    putting their lives at risk.

    dangerous and horrific, this image certainly doesn’t
    seem like an obvious icon for fashionable living.
    which is why it’s surprising that not only does this
    mark turn up on this days tattoos, t-shirts, trucker hats,
    but also must-have designer toys, so what’s the deal?
    is the human skull still the same signifier it once was,
    from ancient iconography to its appearance alongside
    a history of alienated youth culture - or is it placed in the
    running for some kind of image makeover?

    quite few objects have no traditional and symbolic meaning.
    ‘nihil est in rebus inane’ (there is nothing senseless in things)
    was already proclaimed by roemer visscher in his book of
    emblems, 1614...

    today the skull has been re-made conceptually (at least
    aesthetically) but no nonsense can fatally destroy the
    memory of meaning.

    lugubrious emblem of human mortality

    victory of death over life: commonly the skull is a symbol
    of death, (or some romantic notion of immortality - as the
    befief that a spiritual part of a person survives death).

    vanitas

    think of the scene from shakespeare's hamlet where the
    prince holds a skull of yorick, a former servant, bemoaning
    the pointlessness and temporary nature of worldly matters.
    certain themes characteristic of a specific philosophy
    have been commonly represented during an era,
    and an iconography has been developed to express them.
    an example is the still life vanitas vanitatum of the middle
    ages, a reminder of the transitory quality of earthly pleasure
    symbolized by a skull. Pictorial arrangements are dealing
    with the vanity of the intellectual world (globe, books), and
    of the 'vita voluptaria' (musical instruments, smoking implements).
    often painters continued the old tradition of including appropriate
    captions or texts on their pictures. The favourite was the
    admonition from ecclesiastes I: ‘vanity of vanities; all is vanity'.
    the transience of human existence is often brought out
    also by other symbols like the candle and the hourglass.


    transcendence of temporal existence

    the inclusion of the skull makes explicit the essential
    finiteness of man and the limitation of human knowledge.
    a metaphor for understanding, to that of GOD.
    (human vision and knowledge is necessarily limited by
    time and place, while GOD can see and know all things
    at all times). In hans holbein’s painting ‘the ambassadors’
    the anamorphic skull can be connected to the contrast
    between discursive reason and intellectual vision as
    different stages of human knowledge.
    the stable, balanced, serene coposition is interrupted
    only by a long gray shape that rises diagonally from the
    floor. When viewed from the proper angle, this shape
    is recognized as a skull in reflecting holbein's interest
    in symbolism and radical perspectives.
    the skull disrupts our trust in the Cartesian perspective
    center in the same way, our trust in our own reality
    (belief systems) becomes distabilised.
    it is thought that this might have been Holbein's favorite
    painting, because it is the only one he signed with
    his full name.

    magical protection charm

    the skull has been given strong religious connotations
    in several cultures. Among the people of india and
    neighboring regions, the skull necklace is an iconographic
    ‘memento mori’ (meaning ‘remember that you must die’)
    worn by certain gods and goddesses, most notably siva
    in his ascetic form and kali in her wrathful form.
    skull necklaces are also worn by the wrathful aspects
    of allied tibetan and nepalese deities such as kurukulla
    - and necklaces and prayer beads carved from animal
    or human bones in the form of skulls are popular with
    their devotees.

    the death-resurrection cycle

    the skull and crossbone symbol is also used in initiation
    rituals as a symbol of rebirth. It may also symbolize the
    ‘sephirah daath’ on the kabbalistic tree of life, the gateway
    to the higher realms of understanding only achievable
    through spiritual death and rebirth. A skull did not inspire
    horror, on the contrary, it symbolised the promise of a new life.

    good luck

    the age-old links between religion, protection, and luck.
    in pre - columbian america, the skull was given an
    honoured place in the religious iconography of the aztecs
    and related tribes of mexico. Their descendents, both
    indians and people of mixed european and native
    american heritage, continue to venerate the skull and
    the skeleton during the national ‘day of the dead’ ceremonies,
    when skulls made of sugar are eaten and offerings are
    placed on the graves of deceased relatives and friends.
    mexicans looked upon death as one more misfortune to
    contend with, but they also regarded it as the ultimate
    liberation. It was one of the most popular forms of ancient
    mexican ornament and in modern mexico the skull is still used
    in humorous drawing, in toys and candy.

    the skull as an emblem occurs frequently in christianity,
    inspired by golgotha, the place of the skull, where christ was crucified.
    it was the burial place where adam's skull lay directly under the
    cross so the blood of jesus could drip on it, thus washing away
    the original sin (there was no mention of eve -

    official theology was always vague about whether jesus' death
    had really washed away original sin or not).

    the christian concept of christ there dying on the cross would
    explain the crossed bones.

    skulls are associated with such penitent saints as st francis of
    assisi, st jerome and st mary magdalene. When included in
    depictions of them the skull may have a cross placed nearby.

    danger signal

    the recognised symbol for danger is the skull and
    crossbones or for poisonous substances, especially
    visible on containers of cleaning solutions.
    displayed on a black cloth back ground make up the
    pirate's flag commonly known as the jolly roger.
    it was certainly a most intimidating symbol for the
    Caribbean pirate who attacked and looted ships.
    (the pirate flag were to symbolise that death awaited
    those whom the pirates encountered).

    masonry

    the skull and crossbones or a crossed hoe and sceptre
    (symbols of sovereignty) and a skull above them,
    are important emblems in masonry, where it symbolizes
    the hierarchic structure and the transience of the material
    world. US presidents bill clinton and george w. bush
    both are members of the ‘skull and bones’ society...


    the skull of human head, death's head

    interesting reading (and credits):

    skull control by jason evans
    The Blow Up: Skull Control by Jason Evans

    historical pirate flags
    http://www.kipar.org/society/author/...ate-flags.html

    a reference, searchable by description, of thousands of symbols.


    Symbols.Net - Directory to the World of Symbolism


    masonry exposed
    http://www.trosch.org/bks/msnc/mason...our-ctry-l.jpg

    <><

    M:)RGANITE
    clopojo's Avatar
    clopojo Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Jan 21, 2011, 02:51 PM
    "TEMPUS FUGIT MEMENTO MORI"; translated; Time is short remember death.This would be the significance of the skull and bones. This warning calls all members to be spiritually prepared at all times, for we know not the hour when the Master will return and call His own, secondly, it call all members to prudence and astute management in temporal things especially in making provision for a wife and children in the event of an untimely death. The biggest reason for the founding of the KofC was the care of widows and orphans the best way to achieve the goal was and is to make the men, husbands and fathers, aware of the possibility of death at any time and at an early age. The KofC has always offered an excellent and unequalled life insurance service to it's members for this reason.

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