Biblical art in Catholic churches
Tag: Byzantine Revival
20th December “But from you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, among the tiniest of the clans of Judah, from you will come forth for me one who is to be a ruler in Israel, one whose origins are from the distant past, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:1) Micah was one of the Twelve Minor Prophets and possibly … Continue reading The Prophet Micah speaks of the Messiah’s birth
15th December "The virgin will be with child, and she will give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14) Having learned more about Christ’s ancestors, we now turn to the Old Testament prophets who spoke of his coming. Isaiah was the first of the Four Major Prophets and he lived … Continue reading The Prophet Isaiah speaks of a royal child
Ezekiel was one of the Four Major Prophets of Israel. As Pope St John Paul II observed, he was “a witness of one of the most tragic ages the Jewish people lived through: the destruction of the Kingdom of Judaea and its capital, Jerusalem, followed by the bitter exile in Babylon.” Ezekiel was among a … Continue reading The Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36:24-28)
Another of Christ’s famous ‘I am’ sayings, found in St John’s gospel, is where he spoke of himself as ‘the Good Shepherd’. While teaching the people in Jerusalem, he shared with them a parable about a shepherd who protected his sheep. The shepherd, he said, “calls his own sheep by name and leads them out… … Continue reading I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-21)
The book of Revelation, otherwise known as the ‘Apocalypse’, is the last book of the Bible. It contains a series of prophetic visions that its writer, named 'John', experienced while exiled on the island of Patmos. He was told by God to write them down for the seven churches of Asia (1:1-9). For a variety … Continue reading The Revelation of St John (Revelation 1:1-20)
The account of Christ walking on water is found in three of the gospels, although only St Matthew’s version tells us about St Peter’s involvement in the miracle. (Matthew 14:22-23; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:15-21) After Christ fed the 5,000, he told the apostles to set sail for the town of Capernaum, on the other side … Continue reading Christ walks on water (Matthew 14:22-33)
On the night he was betrayed, Christ gathered his twelve apostles together for a evening meal that we know as the ‘Last Supper’. This meal was a celebration of the Jewish Passover, but it was also much more than that. St Luke tells us that once the group was gathered in the upper room of … Continue reading The Last Supper (Luke 22:7-38)
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)
This mosaic scene is found in St Paul's chapel within Westminster Cathedral. It depicts the vision that St Paul had on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus. Scripture says that St Paul (then known as 'Saul') was floored by a flash of light and heard the voice of Christ. The Latin text under the image reads 'Surge, … Continue reading The Road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19)
Lo & Behold 