Biblical art in Catholic churches
Category: Gothic Revival
The Wisdom of Solomon is a unique biblical book. It was one of the last books of the Old Testament to be produced and it was the only one written in Greek. The author was probably a Greek-speaking Jew who lived in Egypt, where there was a large Jewish community at the time. The book … Continue reading The Death of God’s Son (Wisdom 2:12-20)
According to the Church, the death of Christ is revealed throughout the whole Bible. As Pope St John Paul II explained: “There were many messianic texts in the Old Testament which foreshadowed the sufferings of the future Anointed One of God. Among all these, particularly touching is the one which is commonly called the Fourth Song … Continue reading The Suffering Servant (Isaiah 52:13-53:12)
Samuel was a prophet and the last judge to rule over Israel. His story is told in the first book of Samuel. From there we learn that he appointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. Samuel also successfully prayed for victory over Israel’s enemies, the Philistines, and led a spiritual renewal of … Continue reading Samuel judges Israel (1 Samuel 7:3-17)
This short episode in the life of Christ is only mentioned within St Luke’s gospel. Two miles to the east of Jerusalem lay a town called Bethany, where two sisters – St Martha and St Mary – lived with their brother Lazarus. There was always a welcome for Christ in this home. We know from St … Continue reading St Martha and St Mary (Luke 10:38-42)
St John, along with his brother St James Major, was one of the Twelve Apostles. He worked with his father Zebedee in the family fishing business on Lake Galilee. It was beside this lake that Christ first called the two brothers to leave their nets and to follow him (Matthew 4:21-22; 10:3). With the exception … Continue reading St John, Apostle and Evangelist (John 21:20-25)
The account of the sinful woman who anointed Christ’s feet is found in St Luke’s gospel. It underlines Christ’s welcoming attitude towards sinners and his criticism of the self-righteous. Pope Benedict XVI shared this reflection on the story: “Simon, a Pharisee and a rich dignitary of the town, was holding a banquet at his home … Continue reading Christ is anointed by a sinful woman (Luke 7:36-50)
This episode in the life of Abram reveals him to be a military man, but it also tells us about his contact with a priestly king, Melchizedek, who came to symbolise Christ. The background to their meeting involved a regional war among the kings of various city-states. Abram’s nephew, Lot, got caught up in the … Continue reading Abram meets Melchizedek (Genesis 14:1-24)
