Cardinals take their name from the red-clothed members of the Roman Catholic Church, but the crimson birds’ name is not the only association they have with religion: They are thought by some to symbolize messages sent from deceased loved ones in Heaven. A common phrase in some parts of the U.S. is “cardinals appear when angels are near.”

“For me, if you are going to go that route, for my deceased relatives there are symbols that I attach to them, but not necessarily the cardinal,” former FHS art teacher and president of the Findlay Art League Nancy Frankenfield said.

Cardinals are commonly associated with winter. This is peculiar, because cardinals only migrate if there is a deficit of food. Perhaps they are noticed more in winter because of the way that red stands out when surrounded by white snow.

“Cardinals are beautiful red birds. They represent the midwest and are a sign of beauty in an otherwise plain area,” sophomore Nicholas Kasiborski said.

Cardinals are a reminder of joy for some people. This could be due to the vibrant red color of the male cardinal, which is a very bright reminder of the beauty of nature.

“The only symbolism that they have for me is that it’s winter. It is a sign of winter, and is a break from all of the bleakness and all of the gray days in Ohio, so it’s lovely to see a red cardinal,” Mrs. Frankenfield continued.

Regardless of the symbolism of cardinals, they are certainly a noticeable reminder to appreciate the world around us, even on the darkest of days.

“I don’t see where they are symbolic. I know that they have been selected for the state bird for Ohio, but no, I don’t see it,” Michael Frankenfield stated. “I live in Ohio; we have cardinals every day.”

Though not everyone thinks that cardinals are symbolic, most seem to think that they are charming birds.

“To me, cardinals would be good for car advertisements especially if they were flying around the red cars in commercials because they’re both pretty,” sophomore Samantha Palko said.