The Fleur-de-lis
A stylized lily used in Catholic art as a symbol of the Virgin Mary and her purity.
What the Fleur-de-lis means
The fleur-de-lis, French for "lily flower," is a stylized lily of three petals bound by a band. In Catholic use it is a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In medieval France it served as an emblem of the lily, itself a sign of purity.
Because the lily is one of the primary symbols of Mary, especially in pictures of the Annunciation, the stylized flower carries the same meaning. You see it in Annunciation scenes, on wall hangings at Marian shrines, in church decoration, and in heraldry.
