An aureole (from a Latin word for "gold") in Christian art is a halo that envelopes the whole body, signifying a greater degree of sanctity and divine power than a regular halo, which only crowns the head. Aureoles are often oval in shape.
Aureoles are often yellow or white in color in order to depict the purity of the person that they surround. There may be "rays" or other designs projecting outward as part of the aureole, which may symbolize the sun or simply the manifestation of holiness.
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