Biblical art in Catholic churches
Category: Arts and Crafts
During the Last Supper, Christ gave his disciples a practical lesson on humility and a new commandment - to love one another. These extra details are recorded only in St John’s gospel. Just before the meal, a quarrel broke out among the disciples about who was the greatest. So Christ decided to address the issue … Continue reading Christ washes the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-38)
Simon of Cyrene is possibly one of the most widely pictured characters in Christian art. This is because an image of him helping Christ to carry the cross is to be found in practically every Catholic church across the globe. Usually around the walls, you’ll find images of the fourteen ‘Stations of the Cross’ – … Continue reading Simon of Cyrene helps Christ (Mark 15:21-22)
The Song of Moses, also called ‘the Song of the Sea’, is a thanksgiving hymn that celebrates the miracle of the Red Sea and the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. It also looks forward to the founding of the Temple of Jerusalem. Pope Francis explains: “The book of Exodus tells us about Moses and … Continue reading The Song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-22)
The story of how the Queen of Sheba made a state visit to King Solomon of Israel is found in the books of First Kings and Second Chronicles (1 Kings 10:1-13; 2 Chronicles 9:1-12). The Bible doesn’t tell us the name of the Queen of Sheba, but it does describe her as a woman who … Continue reading The Visit of the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-13)
Samson was an Old Testament hero and one of the judges of Israel. He governed the country for 20 years, at a time when it was being terrorised by the Philistines. (Judges 15:20) The story of this maverick character – his confrontations with the Philistines, his fatal love affair with Delilah and his eventual death … Continue reading Samson removes the gates of Gaza (Judges 16:1-3)
This large, intricate mosaic is found in the Chapel of the Holy Souls of Westminster Cathedral in London. It tells the story of the Three Holy Youths - Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego - in the fiery furnace. The book of Daniel says that these Jewish young men worked at the court of Nebuchadnezzar, the king … Continue reading The Three Holy Youths (Daniel 3:1-97)
St John's Gospel tells us that the Roman soldiers who crucified Christ removed his clothes and shared them out among themselves. This was in fulfilment of Psalm 22:18, which was understood to refer to the coming Messiah. Contrary to most representations, Christ was probably crucified naked. This would shed light on why Hebrews 12:2 says that … Continue reading Christ is stripped of his garments (John 19:23-24)
