Biblical art in Catholic churches
Tag: Painting
The escape of the Holy Family from Israel into Egypt has long been a favourite subject in Christian art. The event was traditionally understood as one of the “seven sorrows” of the Virgin Mary, which explains why it became such a popular scene. Pope Benedict XVI explained the story this way: “The evangelist Matthew narrates … Continue reading The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)
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)
St Michael is one of the seven archangels, or “seven spirits”, who stand before the throne of God (Revelation 1:4). His name means “Who is like God?” and he is traditionally considered to be the military leader of the angels. In one of his sermons, Pope Benedict XVI unpacked the biblical figure of St Michael … Continue reading St Michael the Archangel (Daniel 12:1)
Joel, the son of Pethuel, is listed second among the minor prophets. He prophesied to the people of the Kingdom of Judah, which had previously been part of Israel. He seems to have lived at the same time as the prophet Hosea, and to have written his prophecies after the destruction of the kingdom of … Continue reading Joel foretells the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-29)
St. Matthew was one of the Twelve Apostles and is traditionally considered the author of the gospel that bears his name. Pope Benedict XVI explained: “His name in Hebrew means "gift of God". The first canonical Gospel, which goes under his name, presents him to us in the list of the Twelve, labelled very precisely: … Continue reading St Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist (Matthew 9:9-13)
Aaron was the older brother of Moses and Israel’s first high priest. He served as Moses’ spokesperson and played a key role in leading the Israelites out of Egypt. God himself told Moses to appoint Aaron as the first high priest. This special role involved acting as mediator between the people and God. Once a … Continue reading Aaron is appointed high priest (Sirach 45:6-22)
The Sanctus (‘Holy, Holy, Holy’) acclamation has its origins in the book of Isaiah (6:1-8), as well as the book of Revelation (4:1-11). It begins with the words from Isaiah: “‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Added to this are the words with which the … Continue reading The Sanctus (Isaiah 6:1-8)
This painting by the Benedictine nun and artist Sister Petra Clare is based on the famous Russian icon by Andrei Rublev, known as the Trinity or the Hospitality of Abraham. The story of Abraham's warm welcome of three strangers contains a number of messages - the foretelling of a miraculous birth, as well as the importance of … Continue reading The Hospitality of Abraham (Genesis 18:1-15)
After rising from the dead, Christ continued to appear to his followers for forty days. Once this time was up, he then returned to heaven. According to St Luke, the eleven remaining apostles - and those with them - were witnesses of this event, which is known as the 'Ascension' of Christ (cf Luke 24:33). … Continue reading The Ascension of Christ (Acts 1:1-11)
This bold oil painting of the crucifixion is by the modern artist Graham Sutherland. The work was commissioned in 1963 for the newly-opened church of St Aidan in East Acton. Sutherland had already created a series of artworks based on the crucifixion, but this was his first for a Catholic church. In this bright red canvas, … Continue reading Christ dies upon the cross (John 19:28-30)
Lo & Behold 