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Agnus Dei

The Paschal Lamb marked with the banner of victory is a symbol for the resurrection of Christ. Surrounded by the words “VICIT AGNUS NOSTER – EUM SEQUAMUR” it was used like a logo by the Herrnhut community. In the German-speaking countries the translation „UNSER LAMM HAT GESIEGT – LASST UNS IHM FOLGEN“ (“Our lamb has conquered, let us follow Him.”) was in use, too.
Probably through its link with St. Agnes the lamb also appears on the shop fronts of butchers though not surrounded by the verse. St. Agnes, a legendary Roman Christian, already bears the lamb in her name. She suffered death as a martyr around the year 250 AD being pierced by a sword in the throat – just like a lamb was slaughtered in those days. Swiss butchers choose Agnes as the patron saint of their guilds first during the Middle Ages – together with her symbol, the lamb or Agnus Dei. In the course of reformation the saint was dropped from the guild sign but not the lamb.