abbreviation stands for Deo Optimo Maximo = devoted to God, the best and highest. When the term DOM is readily encountered, a title is meant. Dom is derived from the Latin dominus (in English: lord) and is a title in the Roman Catholic Church. Dom is used to address certain monks of the Benedictines or Carthusians. The use of this title originates from France.

Symbol of fidelity, vigilance and domesticity. Usually the dog lies at the feet of the dead, sometimes a standing dog is seen.

The Christian symbol of the Holy Spirit. "After Jesus was baptized, straightway He ascended out of the water. And, behold, there the heavens opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending in the form of a dove and coming upon Him." (Matthew 3:16 (KJ)).

"I've seen the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove, and He rested upon Him." (John 1:32). In ancient times this animal symbolized the soul, even with non-Christians. Typically Christian was a dove with a branch in its beak: it recalled the dove sent by Noah to find out whether the earth was already drying up, and which came back with a twig as proof that God had not forsaken the people . (Genesis 8: 10-11 (KJ)). Thus the dove became a symbol of good tidings and peace. Sitting on the tombstone, a dove symbolizes the soul of the deceased, gathering strength for his journey to heaven.