In the Eucharistic hymn Adoro Te Devote, composed by St. Thomas Aquinas for the feast of Corpus Christi, the Angelic Doctor refers to Jesus Christ as the “Pious Pelican, Lord Jesus.” Though not drawn from Scripture, the image of the pelican emerged in early Christian folklore and pious legend as a powerful symbol of sacrificial love. It was believed that in times of famine, the mother pelican would wound her own breast, feeding her young with her own blood—sometimes even to the point of death. The Fathers and poets of the Church saw in this noble creature a type of Christ, who gives His very flesh and blood to nourish and redeem His children.

The name Pious Pelican draws from this rich tradition to express the heart of our mission: to pour out truth, beauty, and sacrifice for the sake of souls. Like the pelican, which feeds its young in secret, we seek to nourish a weary culture with the lifeblood of tradition—faithfully, generously, and even to the point of loss. In an age starved for meaning, we hope to speak with clarity and devotion, bearing witness to the eternal in the midst of the temporal.