15 Symbols Of Forgiveness Around The World
Forgiveness isn’t easy. It takes strength, empathy, and a big heart. But when you choose to forgive, you open the door to healing, peace, and emotional freedom. Across different cultures, people have created powerful symbols of forgiveness to represent this emotional release, each with deep meaning, rooted in tradition and belief.
In this article, we’ll explore the top 15 most popular forgiveness symbols from around the world. From ancient icons to spiritual signs, each one carries a message of letting go, moving on, and choosing compassion over pain. Whether you’re healing from betrayal, family wounds, or broken friendships, these forgiveness symbols can inspire your path toward peace.
What is Forgiveness?
Forgiveness is a complex concept. When we forgive, we let go of negative feelings, resentment, and anger towards someone who has caused us harm. It’s a totally voluntary and intentional decision to release feelings of bitterness and the desire for revenge, and to do that, we need a shift in attitude and perspective. It is important to acknowledge that we are not trying to excuse the wrong behavior, but rather about freeing ourselves of the negative emotions, so that we can heal and move forward.
When you forgive, you break the cycle of negativity and open the door to healing and reconciliation. It can lead to improved relationships, increased empathy, and personal growth.
Symbols of forgiveness can vary across different cultures and contexts. Here are the popular and universal symbols of forgiveness around the world:
1. White Dove
The white dove is a well-known symbol of peace and forgiveness all over the world. In Christianity, the dove often represents the Holy Spirit, especially in the story of Jesus’ baptism, where a dove comes down from heaven. This gives the dove a strong connection to spirituality, purity, and calm.
In ancient times, people released white doves during peace talks or at the end of wars. It was a way to show the desire to make peace and move forward. Releasing doves became a symbol of hope, healing, and starting fresh.
The dove’s white feathers make it look pure and innocent, untouched by the bad things in the world. Its gentle behavior adds to this peaceful image. Doves don’t fight or attack. They don’t have sharp claws or strong beaks like other birds. Instead, they make soft cooing sounds and move calmly, which is why they are often seen as perfect symbols of peace, love, and forgiveness.
In Greek stories, the dove is even linked to Aphrodite, a goddess who represents love and beauty. Everywhere, the white dove is seen as a way to talk about things that are pure and good. It
🕊️ Read more: Dove Symbolism & Meaning: Ultimate Guide
2. Olive Branch
The olive branch is a powerful symbol of peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. When someone offers an olive branch, it means they’re ready to end a fight, heal a relationship, and move forward. It’s a simple gesture, but it carries deep meaning—the desire to let go of anger and choose harmony instead.
This symbol has roots in religion too. In the story of Noah’s Ark, a dove returns with an olive leaf in its beak. This showed that the flood was over and peace had returned. It also symbolized that God had forgiven humanity, offering a second chance to start over.
3. Mpatapo
“Mpatapo” is an Akan Adinkra symbol from West Africa, especially Ghana and Ivory Coast. It represents reconciliation, peace, and unity.
The symbol shows two crocodile-like creatures with their mouths closed, symbolizing ending conflicts and restoring harmony. “Mpatapo” translates to “knot of reconciliation”, expressing the idea that disagreements can be solved through peaceful dialogue. It promotes the values of understanding, forgiveness, and coming together to rebuild relationships.
In Akan culture, Adinkra symbols like Mpatapo are often found on traditional textiles, clothing, pottery, and architectural elements.
4. Goddess Clementia
Goddess Clementia was the Roman goddess of mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. Her name literally means “clemency” or “mercy,” and she represented the idea that rulers should sometimes choose kindness over punishment. While not as famous as other Roman gods, she stood for a powerful value: the ability to forgive those who have done wrong.
5. Heart
The heart is commonly considered the emotional center of the body. Emotions such as love, empathy, and compassion are often felt in the heart area. Forgiveness is an emotionally charged act that involves letting go of negative feelings and replacing them with positive emotions. Thus, the heart’s association with emotions makes it a natural symbol for forgiveness.
6. Hug
A hug creates closeness and shows vulnerability, offering a way to move past hurt and conflict. It says, “Let’s leave the past behind and move forward.”
Hugs break emotional barriers, replacing tension with warmth and understanding. In that moment of connection, both people acknowledge their shared humanity and imperfections, paving the way for empathy, understanding, and forgiveness.
7. Handshake
In many cultures, shaking hands is often done with eye contact and a real smile. This simple act shows honesty and a true willingness to make peace. Looking someone in the eye and smiling while shaking hands sends a clear message: “I’m ready to talk and move forward.”
A handshake is also a sign of trust. When we reach out our hand, we’re showing we’re not here to fight. We’re here to reconnect. It’s a way of saying, “I’m open to making things right.”
8. Lotus Flower
In Buddhism, the lotus flower symbolizes purity, growth, and letting go. It blooms from muddy waters, showing how we can rise above negativity and reach peace and understanding.
The lotus teaches that forgiveness is about acknowledging emotions but not letting them control us. Like the lotus rising from water, we can rise above anger and hurt, finding balance and calm within ourselves. Forgiveness is about seeing our feelings clearly, then choosing to let go and move forward with empathy and peace.
🪷 Read More: Lotus Symbolism Around The World
9. Water
Water is a powerful symbol of forgiveness because it can clean, heal, and bring things back to life. Just like water washes away dirt, forgiveness helps us let go of anger, pain, and bad memories. It clears out what’s heavy inside us and makes room for peace.
Think of a flowing river. It moves around rocks and keeps going. That’s how forgiveness works too. It helps us move past hurt and keep relationships flowing, even when things get hard. Instead of holding onto pain, we learn to let it go—just like water keeps moving.
🌊 Read More: Spiritual Meaning of Water
10. Offering or Gifts
Giving a gift is often a symbol of peace, forgiveness, and healing. When someone offers a gift after a disagreement, it shows they want to fix what’s broken and move forward. The gift becomes a way to say, “I’m sorry,” or “Let’s start fresh.”
Like forgiveness, a gift can act as a bridge that closes the distance caused by hurt feelings or conflict. It shows effort, care, and the desire to reconnect. Accepting the gift also means being open to rebuilding trust. Together, the act of giving and receiving says, “Our relationship matters, and I want to make things right.”
11. Symbol of Forgiveness
The symbol of forgiveness holds a significant place within the rich tapestry of Native American culture. Deeply rooted in tradition, it found its artistic expression in various forms across the Southwest regions of the United States, particularly in states like New Mexico, Tesco, and Utah.
Research and archaeological findings reveal that some of these petroglyphs and pictographs date as far back as 3000 BC. Its prevalence across various tribes stands as a testament to its universal importance in the Native American way of life.
Visually, the forgiveness symbol is characterized by a circle intersected by two lines. The circle symbolizes unity, harmony, and the cyclical nature of life, while the two intersecting lines represent the act of letting go, the embodiment of forgiveness, and the promise of new beginnings.
12. Breath
When we take a deep breath in, it’s like we’re taking in the understanding of the situation. We’re acknowledging the hurt, the pain, and the emotions that come with it. Just as we accept the air into our lungs, forgiveness begins with accepting our feelings without judgment. It’s a step towards facing the truth of what has happened.
As we exhale, we release the breath and let go. In the same way, forgiveness involves releasing the grip of anger, resentment, and negative emotions. It’s a conscious decision to release the burden that holding onto hurtful feelings can bring. With each breath out, we’re symbolically releasing the weight of grudges and making space for healing.
🧘 Read More: Breath Symbolism Across Cultures
13. Quilt/Patchwork
Each patch in a quilt carries its unique design and color, much like individual experiences and emotions in human relationships. They are the moments, emotions, and perspectives that shape our interactions. Just as a quilt gathers these distinct pieces, forgiveness gathers the various aspects of a relationship, including conflicts and grievances, with the intention of creating something beautiful and whole.
14. Prayer and Meditation
Meditation helps us learn how to forgive by teaching us to be calm, kind, and aware of our feelings. When we sit quietly and pay attention to what we feel—without judging ourselves—we start to understand that everyone gets hurt sometimes. This helps us be more gentle with ourselves and with others.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean saying what happened was okay. It means letting go of anger so it doesn’t weigh us down anymore. Meditation gives us the space to face our pain and choose peace instead of holding onto hurt.
15. Scales of Justice
Imagine the two sides of the scale representing different aspects of a conflict or hurtful situation. On one side, there’s the pain, anger, and hurt that we may feel when someone wrongs us. On the other side, there’s the act of forgiveness, which requires us to let go of those negative feelings. The scale embodies the delicate balance between these emotions.
Conclusion
In summary, symbols of forgiveness play a meaningful role in human culture and expression. They serve as potent reminders of the transformative qualities of letting go, healing, and embracing new beginnings. These symbols evoke emotions of empathy, growth, and the possibility of restoring harmony in relationships. Whether it’s the olive branch representing reconciliation or the open heart signifying compassion, these symbols resonate with the profound capacity within us to forgive and create a positive path forward.
