The lion is a symbol of strength, authority, and natural leadership. It is also associated with royalty, majesty and power.
A lion is also associated with concepts such as honesty, courage, boldness, and strength.
In art, when winged, the lion is also known as “The Lion of Saint Mark”, representing the evangelist St Mark. It is common in Christian iconography to find a winged lion with a Bible, , or a lion with an open book, to highlight a delegated sovereignty (and hence to associate it with public courts and parliaments).
The winged lion is also the symbol of Venice, where it is believed that St Mark was eventually buried.