The pine tree, found throughout Korea, remains evergreen and upright in all seasons, embodying noble character and integrity. For centuries it has been praised as a symbol of the scholar’s fidelity and virtue. With its strength to withstand storms and severe winters, it has come to symbolize longevity, and its timber has long been used in the construction of royal palaces, ancient temples, and noble residences.As the symbolic tree of The Catholic University of Korea, the pine tree reflects the university’s long history, embodying universality of truth, steadfast integrity, dignity, and enduring strength. It also symbolizes hope and the eternal constancy that never changes.

The dove was dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, most likely because of its gentle nature and graceful appearance. Among the Jewish people, its tender and affectionate qualities were likened to those of a beloved companion (Song of Songs 2:14). In Christianity, the dove has long symbolized the Holy Spirit, manifesting God’s love and power (Mark 1:10).In the story of Noah, when the world perished in the flood caused by human selfishness and sin, Noah first sent out a raven, which never returned. He then sent out a dove, which faithfully came back carrying a green olive leaf in its beak, announcing the first sign of a new world (Genesis 8:8).For these reasons, humanity has always regarded the dove as a symbol of unity, peace, and glad tidings. At The Catholic University of Korea, the dove symbolizes the faithfulness, love in action, unity, service for peace, and reforming spirit of its members.

When Hercules, the mighty son of Zeus and the beautiful maiden Alcmene, was born, Zeus lulled his jealous wife Hera into sleep so that the infant could nurse at her breast. Hercules sucked with such strength that milk spilled onto the earth, and from that milk sprang the lily. Just as Greek mythology captures this tale in a vivid way, the lily’s pure white splendor and delicate fragrance have also been richly embraced in Judeo-Christian tradition. For the Jewish people, the lily, which blooms magnificently in barren land by drawing only upon dew from heaven, became a symbol of God’s mercy and love. It represented hope for release from the suffering of exile, the cleansing of sins, and the promise of a flourishing future (Hosea 14:6–7). Jesus Christ, pointing to the lilies of the field, emphasized their beauty as the handiwork of God and taught that people should not be consumed by worldly values but long for eternal life and heavenly beauty (Matthew 6:29). In Christian tradition, the lily has come to symbolize the purity of holy women who lived not for earthly wealth and honor, but for their yearning toward heaven. In art, the lily often appears as a symbol of the Virgin Mary. For The Catholic University of Korea, the lily signifies the university’s noble spirit—refusing to conform to the trends of the times—while embodying purity, prosperity, and the hope of heaven.