Biblical art in Catholic churches
Tag: Stained glass
Christ’s personal invitation to four fishermen to become his disciples started a new chapter in all of their lives. As Pope Benedict XVI explained: “The Gospels agree in mentioning that the call of the Apostles marked the first steps of Jesus' ministry, after the baptism he received from John the Baptist in the waters of … Continue reading Christ calls his First Disciples (Matthew 4:18-22)
The gospels include a story about how two of the apostles asked Christ for a personal favour (Matthew 20:20-28; Mark 10:35-45). The two were St James and St John, the sons of Zebedee. They decided to involve their mother, who had left home to look after Christ and her sons, in the plan. One day, … Continue reading St James & St John’s Request (Matthew 20:20-28)
St Luke’s gospel is the only one to include any details of the childhood of Christ. This is probably because he spoke to the Virgin Mary, who shared her memories of the Child Jesus with him. The main story he tells is of Christ’s disappearance during a family trip to Jerusalem – and of being … Continue reading Christ among the Doctors (Luke 2:41-52)
In his gospel, one of St John’s favourite themes was the contrast between light and darkness. He included a number of sayings on this subject. One of these was the following statement, made by Christ both to his disciples and to the people: “I am the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5; 12:46). Referring to … Continue reading I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
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)
St James Minor was both one of the Twelve Apostles and a relative of Christ. In St Mark’s gospel, he’s referred to as ‘James the Less’, to distinguish him from the other apostle named James (Mark 15.40). The term ‘Less’ (or Minor) may refer to either his height or his age. According to the New … Continue reading St James Minor (James 1:1-27)
The imprisonment and brutal death of St John the Baptist is recorded in three of the gospels, although St Mark’s account is the most detailed (Matthew 14:3-12; Mark 6:17-29; Luke 3:19-20; 9:7-9). As background, King Herod of Galilee had married Herodias, his brother's wife. Not one to hold back, St John the Baptist told him … Continue reading The Beheading of St John the Baptist (Mark 6:17-29)
Sarah, the wife of Abraham, is an important figure in Jewish history. Her story is told in the book of Genesis. Through her son Isaac, she and her husband were the original ancestors of the nation of Israel, as well as its later kings. Originally named Sarai, she was from the Sumerian city of Ur. … Continue reading Sarah the mother of Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7)
