In Christianity, the boar symbolizes one of the seven deadly sins, lust. Images of the boar can be found trampled under the feet of Chastity, one of the three monastic vows. They are also closely associated with the devil and other evil forces 1.
Martin Luther 95 Theses
In 1517, a disillusioned monk by the name of Martin Luther wrote his 95 theses, which created controversy within Catholicism and its practitioners. Luther was perceived as a "wild boar" for stirring up theological debates within the Roman Catholic Church 2. This symbolism represents Martin Luther on two fronts. First, for his perceived destructive nature, he attains the title of wild boar. Secondly, after hearing this title was received, he worked and preached even harder. Thus from this circumstance one can conclude that the boar is representative of stubborness and persistence.
Burning of Judas
In Christianized Mexico, a popular folkloric tradition involved the ceremonial burning of Judas. The wild boar was one of five symbolic devil figures that hovered over the assembled crowd during this lent celebration. Here, the wild boar conveyed gluttony and served as an emblem of lechery, considered to be the most savage kind of sensual greed. In this ceremony, the boar performed as a rallying symbol for the crowd while simultaneously representing vulgar masculine aggressiveness and wrath 3.
References
- 1 - "The Pig - Symbolism" Gon Goff, n.d. <link>
- 2 - Chesko, Tom. "A Wild Boar In The Vineyard." Armchair Theologian, 04 Oct. 2007. <link>
- 3 - Beezley, William H. Judas at the Jockey Club and other episodes of Porfirian Mexico. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2004.<link>