Subjects · Leaving Cert Religious Education
Leaving Cert Religious Education: Symbol & symbolic language
How often Symbol & symbolic language comes up on the Religious Education papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.
HL Asked on 1 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2016.
OL Asked on 4 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024.
Quick ones on Symbol & symbolic language.
- They replace the need for belief or faith
- They express mysteries beyond ordinary words
- They are required by civil law in most countries
- The menorah
- The crescent moon and star
- The eight-spoked dharma wheel
- A metaphor for God's strength and reliability
- A scientific claim about stone and minerals
- A literal description of God's physical body and form
Show the answers
(a) They express mysteries beyond ordinary words
(b) The eight-spoked dharma wheel
(c) A metaphor for God's strength and reliability
Higher Level
Asked on 1 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2016.
Every paper, year by year
| Year | Where it came up |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Not asked |
| 2024 | Not asked |
| 2023 | Not asked |
| 2022 | Not asked |
| 2021 | Not asked |
| 2019 | Not asked |
| 2018 | Not asked |
| 2017 | Not asked |
| 2016 | A1 |
Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.
More Symbol & symbolic language questions
Symbol & symbolic language, 3 marks
How does a symbol differ from a sign?
- A symbol has one fixed, literal meaning that is the same for everyone
- A symbol can only be written down, never acted out
- A symbol points to deeper meaning and stirs a response
Show the answer
A symbol points to deeper meaning and stirs a response
A road sign gives simple information; a symbol such as a wedding ring or a flag carries layers of meaning and feeling, which is why religions use symbols for what words cannot fully say.
Symbol & symbolic language, 2 marks
The sacred syllable Om (Aum), chanted and shown as a symbol, is most associated with…
- Judaism
- Hinduism
- Islam
Show the answer
Hinduism
Om is chanted at the start and end of Hindu prayers and meditation and is said to contain the sound of all creation. It is also used in Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.
Symbol & symbolic language, 3 marks
The swastika, later misused by the Nazis, was originally in Hinduism a symbol of…
- Good fortune and well-being
- War, conquest and victory in battle
- Death and the end of life
Show the answer
Good fortune and well-being
The Sanskrit svastika means well-being. It is still a sacred sign in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The same shape can carry opposite meanings for different communities.
Ordinary Level
Asked on 4 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024.
Every paper, year by year
| Year | Where it came up |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Not asked |
| 2024 | A3 |
| 2023 | Not asked |
| 2022 | A2 |
| 2021 | Not asked |
| 2019 | A1 |
| 2018 | Not asked |
| 2017 | A1 |
| 2016 | Not asked |
Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.
More Symbol & symbolic language questions
Symbol & symbolic language, 3 marks
What makes a symbol different from a sign?
- A symbol has only one fixed meaning
- A symbol is always written in words
- A symbol carries deeper meaning and feeling
Show the answer
A symbol carries deeper meaning and feeling
A stop sign gives one piece of information. A symbol such as a wedding ring points beyond itself to love and commitment, and stirs up feeling.
Symbol & symbolic language, 2 marks
A wedding ring is a symbol of...
- Victory in a hard battle
- Lasting love and commitment
- Wealth, power and status
Show the answer
Lasting love and commitment
Its unbroken circle suggests love without end. Symbols like this help people express what matters most to them, which words alone struggle to say.
Symbol & symbolic language, 2 marks
Which symbol is associated with Judaism?
- The Star of David
- The Dharma wheel
- Om
Show the answer
The Star of David
The six-pointed Star of David is a widely used symbol of Judaism. The Dharma wheel is a Buddhist symbol and Om is a sacred sound and symbol in Hinduism.