List of Religious References

This page lists Once Upon a Time's various references to numerous religious works and practices.

"Pilot"

 * The priest at Snow White and Prince Charming's wedding is dressed in robes similar to the robes worn by Christian Deacons.
 * The cursed Snow White bears the name Mary Margaret. Mary is a common Biblical name for women, two of the more famous figures being the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene. Mary Margaret is the mother of the savior, just like the Virgin Mary.
 * Mary Margaret, who originally was supposed to be a nun,  appears wearing a cross in a necklace.

"The Shepherd"

 * Prince James duels a man called "Behemoth", a creature from the Bible.
 * David Nolan, the cursed identity of Prince Charming, a former shepherd, shares his name with King David of the Bible, himself a former shepherd.
 * Prince Charming's mother is named Ruth. Ruth is the name of King David's great-grandmother.
 * Prince Charming is betrothed to Princess Abigail. King David's third wife was named Abigail.
 * A cross can be seen on a shield dropped by a fallen soldier outside the dragon's cave.

"The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter"

 * Graham asks Mary Margaret is she believes in other lives. She replies, "Like heaven?".

"Dreamy"

 * The Storybrooke counterparts of fairies are reviewed to be nuns. They seems to be similar to Roman Catholic Religious Sisters, which is evident such as: doing community service, refers by others and themselves as "Sister" and also have a Mother Superior who is in charge of them.
 * The nun convent logo on the "Miner's Day" banner is a Budded Cross, which is characterized by three scalloped shapes at the end of each arm, which symbolize the Holy Trinity. The logo reads as "Sisters of Saint Meissa Dona Nobis Pacem MMDCXLVIII". Dona nobis pacem (Latin for "Grant us peace") is a phrase in the Agnus Dei section of the Roman Catholic mass.

"The Return"

 * A statue of the Virgin Mary can be seen outside the convent.

"An Apple Red as Blood"

 * When the Evil Queen gives Snow White the poisoned apple, a cross can be seen on Daniel's grave.

"We Are Both"

 * Dr. Whale asks David whether or not nuns can date as the Dark Curse was broken, referring the oath Roman Catholic nuns made when joining the community.

"Lady of the Lake"

 * Lancelot is nicknamed the Leviathan, a biblical creature.

"In the Name of the Brother"

 * Victor Frankenstein, Gerhardt and their father Alphonse celebrate the Christian-based holiday Christmas.

"Tiny"

 * Prince Charming's real name is David, just like the shepherd-turned-King.
 * David Nolan fights against a giant, similar to the story of David and Goliath.

"Welcome to Storybrooke"

 * Mary Margaret is seen wearing a cross in a flashback from 1983.

"Selfless, Brave and True"

 * A statue of the Virgin Mary can be seen outside the Sisters of Saint Meissa convent.

"The Evil Queen"

 * At the marketplace, an angel with a halo is pictured on the tapestry behind the carny.

"Second Star to the Right"

 * Tamara remarks that magic is unholy.

"Quite a Common Fairy"

 * Noticing that Regina Mills is reluctant to meet Tinker Bell, Emma assumes that Regina did something to the fairy when they first met, including the possibility that Regina stole Tinker Bell's halo.

"Going Home"

 * The convent chapel is full of religious stained glass windows. Among the religious motifs are:
 * The biblical figure Martha
 * St. Margaret of Scotland
 * Jesus Christ and the text "come unto me", an excerpt from the Gospel of Matthew 11:28 in the Bible

"Snow Drifts"

 * When Hook is pondering where and when in the past Enchanted Forest he and Emma have landed, he briefly mentions the belly of a whale; referencing the biblical story of Jonah.

"Family Business"

 * While Belle is looking up information on how to get her memories back, a cross can be seen on the cover of one of the books.

"Smash the Mirror"

 * The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament by Joseph Tayer and Vocabulary of the Greek Testament by James Hope Moulton and George Milligan are sitting on a shelf in the Storybrooke Free Public Library.

"Heroes and Villains"

 * An angry Hook promises Mr. Gold that Mr. Gold's next life won't be so pleasant for him. Reincarnation is a shared element of various religious, spiritual and philosophical communities.
 * Still, Mr. Gold believes he doesn't need to care about Hook's promise, telling the pirate, "Given my immortality, you'll have quite the wait amongst the fire and brimstone". "Fire and brimstone" is a figurative expression of signs of God's wrath in the Bible.

"Darkness on the Edge of Town"

 * Rumplestiltskin tells the Queens of Darkness that he offers the answer to all their prayers. Cruella is not convinced, and remarks, "I'm not exactly the religious sort."

"Best Laid Plans"

 * Two paintings of the Virgin Mary are inside the Storybrooke Convent.

"Heart of Gold"

 * There is a cross on the Lady of Providence Medical Center sign.

"Lily"

 * When Isaac gets into Mr. Gold's car, a cross can be seen on a small chapel.
 * Emma and her foster family say grace before dinner.
 * When young Emma is sitting at the bus stop, a church can be seen in the background.

"Mother"

 * The Evil Queen tells her subjects that "next time there is a wedding, book the church".
 * Lily says that Snow White and Prince Charming sent her through the portal in her eggshell, "like baby Moses in his basket"; a reference to the Biblical story of the birth of Moses, from the Book of Exodus.

"Operation Mongoose Part 1"

 * Isaac mentions having a bar mitzvah; implying he is Jewish.

"Operation Mongoose Part 2"

 * The priest at Zelena and Robin Hood's wedding is dressed in robes similar to the robes worn by Christian Deacons.

"The Dark Swan"

 * A cross pattée can be seen on Excalibur's blade.

"Siege Perilous"

 * The Unquenchable Flame, used by Arthur and David in Brocéliande, is said to be a part of the burning bush itself.

"The Broken Kingdom"

 * Violet's horse is named Nicodemus, a reference to a Christian saint mentioned in the Gospel of John, who is most notable for assisting in the burial of Jesus.

"The Bear and the Bow"

 * When Mr. Gold takes Excalibur, a cross pattée can be seen on the hilt.

"Nimue"

 * The Holy Grail, an object from Arthurian Legend and Christian lore, is decorated with cross pattées. The same symbol is on the shrine where Prometheus' fire burns.
 * Adda refers to the Grail as a gift from the gods. Polytheism refers to the worship of or belief in multiple deities. Before Merlin drinks from the grail, he looks up into the sky and asks for permission. The sky has important religious significance, and most polytheistic religions have a deity associated with the sky. In addition, Christians sometimes look up to the sky while praying.
 * After Zelena tricks Mary Margaret, she says "there's no rest for the wicked". "No rest for the wicked" is a phrase originating from the Book of Isaiah in the Bible.

"Birth"

 * There is a cross pattée on the box used to contain the Flame of Prometheus' spark.

"Swan Song"

 * Mr. Gold says that the Underworld will make everyone wish that the old stories of fire and brimstone were true. "Fire and brimstone" is a figurative expression of signs of God's wrath in the Bible.
 * Hook refers to Charon's boat as the "S.S. Purgatory".

"Our Decay"

 * According to Hades, people are always confusing him with the Devil.
 * Zelena tells Hades to go back to his brimstone. "Fire and brimstone" is a figurative expression of signs of God's wrath in the Bible. "Brimstone" is the archaic name for sulfur, and evokes the acrid odor of volcanic activity.

"Ruby Slippers"

 * While talking to Belle about the latter's fear of Hades taking her baby, Zelena is drinking whiskey. The label on the bottle says Moloch. Moloch was the sun god in Ancient Canaanite religion. In the 8th-6th century BCE, firstborn children were sacrificed to him.

"Firebird"

 * The entrance to the Ambrosia temple is decorated with crosses.

"Last Rites"

 * When Mary Margaret walks away from Emma, a cross-shaped headstone can be seen on a grave in the Storybrooke Graveyard. When Emma and Hook are reunited, a cross can be seen etched into another headstone.

"Only You"

 * The Holy Grail Twin is decorated with cross pattées.