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This photograph was captured on a very cold  day during a freezing rain event. The cardinal appeared shortly after a Cooper's Hawk ate another male Cardinal. He stayed over 30 minutes just resting in the tree, he appeared to be posing for Gene. 

Northern cardinals are associated with a great deal of folklore, legends, and spiritual beliefs in many different cultures.

It is common folklore that a visit from a cardinal represents a sign from a loved one who has passed. While this belief cannot be traced to a single origin, birds have often symbolized heavenly visitors, messengers to the gods, or even the gods themselves in feathered form. This belief has been part of ancient Egyptian, Celtic, Maori, Irish, and Hindu spiritualism, as well as the lore and legends of many Native American tribes, including the Ojibwe, Lakota, Odawa, Sioux, Algonquin, and Menomini.

Information compiled from The Farmer's Almanac.