Dear Suzanne:

The word "gargoyle" comes from the French gargouille, meaning "throat" or "gullet". The Latin gurgulio, gula ; means "to swallow", referring to the gurgling sound of water. I mention this because the practical use of these gargoyles is act as a water spout to carry water from the roof away from the side of the building. A "gargoyle" that is not a waterspout, but merely decorative artwork is called a Grotesque or a chimera.

There are many theories to the purpose of the gargoyles imagery. There is nothing wrong with them. They are merely an artistic representation perhaps serving as symbols of protectors keeping evil away from the building and the people inside. But, we really do not know the intent of the artist who created them.

One legend has it, that a fierce dragon named La Gargouille described as having a long, reptilian neck, a slender snout and membranous wings lived in a cave near the river Seine. The dragon caused much fear and destruction with its fiery breath, spouting water and the devouring of ships and men. Each year, the residents of Rouen would placate Gargouille with an offering of a victim, usually a criminal, though it was said the dragon preferred maidens. Around 600, the village was saved by St. Romanis, who promised to deal with the dragon if the townspeople agreed to be baptized and to build a church. Romanus subdued the dragon by making the sign of the cross and then led the now docile beast back to town on a leash made from his priest's robe. La Gargouille was then burned at the stake, it is said that his head and neck were so well tempered by the heat of his fiery breath, that they would not burn. These remnants were then mounted on the town wall and became the model for gargoyles for centuries to come. 

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary