a purely 'symbolic' act/gesture [=an act/gesture that is intended as a symbol of something but that does not have any real effect]
The number 7 has 'symbolic' significance/importance [=has significance/importance as a symbol] in their religion.
The storm is 'symbolically' important in the story.
(..) they'll blow his fingers off. I'll tell you something else. It's like a joke, but true. If they kill a stool pigeon, they leave a canary on the body. - Apparently it's symbolic. - Why not a pigeon instead of a canary? I don't know why not a pigeon. Wait a minute. You got to catch a pigeon. (..)1976 Taxi Driver