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The books of the Gospels tell the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. They were written by the four evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Greek word 'evangelist' means 'proclaimer of the good news.' In Church iconography, Matthew is depicted as a man, Mark is represented by a lion, Luke is symbolized by an ox, and John is shown as an eagle. These symbols came from Ezekiel 1:10 and the depiction of heavenly worship in Revelations 4:7-8.
These four images symbolize, respectively, the noblest, strongest, wisest, and swiftest beings in creation. Each figure has six wings, similar to that of seraphim or celestial beings around the throne of God who take part in the heavenly liturgy. Being 'covered with eyes inside and out' suggests that they are enveloped with God’s knowledge and concern.
Read more about this by visiting Fr. William Saunders article entitled What are the Symbols of the Four Evangelists?.
Source:
Catholic Extension. (2017, November 21). Catholic religious symbolism explained [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.catholicextension.org/camp-catholic/sacred-spaces-symbols.