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The feast for the Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the so called movable Feasts, that is, it occurs on a different date in different years. The most evident movable Feast is Easter, whose date changes every year. Actually, most of the movable Feasts…
Since the origins of Christianity, people felt the need to reproduce the object of their devotion, or something that recalled it, in a tangible and visible way. For the first Christians, forced to hide their faith, this was often unavoidable, and was manifested through carving…
The church is the place par excellence where Christians gather to share their faith and celebrate the related solemn rituals. Since its origins it was necessary to give it a special solemnity and sacredness. This was obtained by acting both on the architecture of the building itself, on its shapes and volumes already concealing many deep symbolisms and meanings, and on the choice of the disposition of sacred furniture that decorate the inside. Regardless of the historical period in which a church was built, or the architecture style it can be associated to, a church will have to be interpreted as an ideal scenography set to welcome liturgy. The building, the subdivision of spaces, even decorations of a church, have in fact the liturgic celebration as only and central cornerstone. We must take into consideration the historical and social setting in which a church developed. During ancient times, the architectural magnificence of a church, the opulence of its sacred decors, were justified by the fact that they were supposed to tell the magnificence and solemnity of the liturgy to men and women who had no culture, often unable to read nor write, nor to understand the mass celebrated in Latin. The evolution of the devotees throughout the centuries went along with the evolution of places of worship, with a progressive loss of the spectacular aspects of liturgy and celebrations. This makes the recognition of the changes in projects and planning of the place of worship even more fascinating, given the new necessities.
We will not linger much on the subdivision of spaces inside a church in this article. Briefly, we can generalize by saying that most of the ancient churches are composed of a great rectangular hall, or Latin Cross, divided into naves by lines of columns or pillars, always with an uneven number. The part of the church that is reserved to officials, the one where the altar is, is called presbytery; on its back, there can be one or more apses, semicircular or polygonal shaped structures, which can host the chair, which is the Bishop’s seat, and the subsellia, the presbyters’ desks. Ancient churches often have a transept, an architectural structure that crosses the central nave or all the naves on the presbytery line.
Every age, every culture, gave a particular interpretation on how a place of worship should look like, what it should convey. Some elements are always recurring, they stay as milestones, going through the history of Christianity, from the first paleochristian and medieval churches, to the modern steel and glass churches we see in our cities. Let’s talk about sacred furniture: altars, ambons, kneeling-stools, baptismal fonts, tabernacles, altar crosses, holy water fonts, and so on.
Int his article we will go over each one of them, trying to find their most authentic meaning in the church sphere, and the reason why they can never miss in a church. Let’s look at the specific aspects of the sacred furniture placed in the various areas of a church.
The church door, whether big or small, majestic or discrete, carries a fundamental symbolic meaning. In fact, it symbolizes Jesus, a mandatory passage through which we have to go in order to reach God. It is not only a physical passage, but most of all spiritual. Those who enter the church door do so to leave the outside world behind their backs, even for a short time, with all its real, practical, external contingencies, in order to try to connect with their own inner reality, their soul, and through it, to God.
The mere fact of passing a church door implies the will to shake off your sins and place yourself in a state of grace. It is not by chance that church doors are decorated with engravings and sculptures that recall the Last Judgment and the concept of salvation.
The altar is surely the main element in any church. It is the cornerstone of the liturgic celebration, the symbol of the presence of God, since it’s on it that Christ’s sacrifice is repeatedly proposed. Every devotee expresses his own faith and participation to church life in front of it, not only by participating to the communion, but also by receiving the sacraments that are fundamental for his human and spiritual life.
Even during Pre-christian age, in other religions and cultures, the altar was a sacred furniture destined to welcome solemn sacrifices and faith vows towards men and gods. In the biggest Christian churches the altar can be surrounded by a ciborium, an architectural element shaped as a canopy.
A place of sacrifice then, and of solemn commitment, the altar can be made of various materials and have different shapes. Some altars are made of a whole stone block or brickwork, others of a marble slab placed on supports. There are stone, wooden and marble altars. In ancient times altars were often decorated with accurately chiseled panels, or with golden, silver or bronze sheets.
On the altar we can find many sacred decors that compose the supply of the altar itself: a table cloth for the altar, usually white to resemble the Last Supper table; the cross, symbol of Jesus sacrifice, of His death and Resurrection; the candles, or altar candles, that symbolize His presence and to some extent, His double nature of God and Man. The cross and candelabra are often coordinated. On the altar we celebrate the presence of Jesus (candles), His sacrifice (cross), and His promise of salvation for all mankind, with the offer of His body as bread (table cloth).
The arrangement of the altar table cloth, of the cross and candles is never random. Every gesture and placing are essential elements of the liturgic mystery, and as such they have to be considered. These objects in particular symbolize the presence of Christ at the altar, making it the perfect place for His sacrifice.
In particular, the cross has to be central compared to the two candle holders or candles. In order to make the liturgic celebration easier for the priest, in some cases the cross can be placed in front of or next to the altar, flanked by the two candle holders, but generally their arrangement should be on the altar itself and on the cloth set to host them.
The altar can also be left bare, but only on Holy Friday and Saturday, to symbolize the Passion of Christ.
An alternative to the altar cross can be the processional cross. This cross is similar to the one placed on the altar, but it is fixed on a pole about 2 meters long. It is used during processions, held by a crucifer, and once the procession reaches the altar it can become the altar cross itself.
Other scared decors that cannot miss in a Christian church are the ambon, the pulpit, and the lectern.
The Ambon is a structure placed on some steps, from where the lectures are read. In ancient times it was placed quite high, made of brickworks, wood or marble, closed on three sides with stairs on one side, or even two stairs, and sometimes it even had gates. Usually the ambon was placed on the right side of the main nave. It happened often that in the church there were two ambons, one dedicated to the espistolary readings, one to the Gospel readings. In general, the reader, the psalmist and the deacon could access the ambon. Ancient ambons were made of wood, but soon became much bigger and majestic, and were made of marble and enriched with sculptures and covered in precious metals.
Different form the ambon which is destined only to readings, is the Pulpit, destined to sermons.
The Pulpit was a kind of mezzanine placed in the main nave of the church from which the priest spoke to be heard by everyone. Today, with modern amplification systems in churches, its use is mostly decayed.
The Lectern is a sort of smallest version of the Ambon and the Pulpit. It is a structure, usually made of wood or wrought iron, destined to support a book, usually the Bible.
The Kneeling-stool is a wooden piece of furniture with a step or a platform, on which people kneel to pray. The step is often stuffed, as the support for hands, and the kneeling-stool can be accurately carved and decorated.
The Holy Water Font is a container filled with holy water. It is usually a tub placed on top of a column, a pedestal or even a sculpture (pile holy water font) or fixed to the wall (sealed holy water font) close to the entrance of the church. People entering the church can dip their fingers into the font and make the sign of the cross.
The Baptismal Font is a tub, usually placed on one side of the nave, in a side chapel or a building next to the church, the Baptistery. It is used to give the Baptism through the infusion of the water on the forehead, while in ancient times, recalling Jesus Baptism, it was a real immersion into the Baptismal font. The water inside the baptismal font is considered symbol of life and sign of Christ, and thanks to it we are awarded with rebirth, washing us clean from the original sin.
The Tabernacle is a container placed in every Christian church where the consecrated hosts are stored, usually inside a pyx, a box with a foot and a lid. There are wall Tabernacles (recess) and table Tabernacles (boxes placed on other structures). Next to the Tabernacle there is an always burning lamp, called Sanctuary Lamp, symbolizing the presence of God. For the Jewish the tabernacle was the holy place that hosted the Ark of Alliance. 
Still today in Christian churches the tabernacle is covered with a veil called canopy, recalling the tent that covered the Jewish tabernacle. The access to the tabernacle is reserved to presbyters and deacons, while it is usually locked as the canonical right codex says.
The seat or throne on which the Bishop seats in a church is called Cathedra, and is symbol of the authority and power of the Bishop himself. In fact, when the Bishop seats on the Cathedra, everything he says is as inspired directly by God, as if he did nothing but give voice to His will.
Even the Via Crucis can be considered as a real sacred decor. All churches and places of worship have one, inside or outside. They are 14 pictures, sometimes 15 because some Via Crucis consider also the final stage when Christ resurrected, and they remember the Passion of Christ and his painful path towards crucifixion and death. The Via Crucis was born in medieval age as penitence path for those who could not go to pilgrimage in the Holy Land, in the places that actually saw the passion of Christ. The stations of the Via Crucis are usually composed of pictures made of wood, marble, stone, bronze and so on.
There is a lot of talk around the trend that has become popular during the last few years, that is wearing religious jewels without knowing their meaning in depth. Many stylists chose to reproduce crucifix, rosaries and medals dedicated to Mary or the Saints, making…
During the last few years a new trend of very particular jewels has become popular: angel caller necklaces and bracelets. What are they? There are various types, made of more or less precious materials, for all tastes and budgets. As a general line, the angel…
We already talked about Our Lady of Medjugorje in other articles, who appeared to six seers in 1981; some of them claim they see her everyday. The first apparitions took place in the town of Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina, from which comes the name. Our Lady of Medjugorje is also called Our Lady of Peace, because the message she entrusted, and still today entrusts, to her seers is a message of Peace, a Peace that can be reached through a path that includes five passages, called the “five stones”:
The story of the apparition is well known to everybody: on June 24th 1981, in the afternoon, Ivanka Ivanković and Mirjana Dragičevi, at the time teen agers, were walking around the hill of Podbrdo, near Medjugorje, when they saw the image of a young and beautiful woman going towards them floating on a cloud. This was just the first of a series of apparitions that never ceased, and that went through some variations in place, details and frequency. The two girls went to call their friends, of the same age, and the mysterious lady appeared to them as well, this time holding a baby in her arms. Only in the first three years, Our Lady of Medjugorje appeared at least 1100 times to the kids.
The dynamics of those meetings repeat themselves, as does the greeting of the Virgin to the seers, smiling to them with endless sweetness: “Jesus Christ be praised”.
But what does this young and smiling Madonna look like? She seems flying, her feet hidden by a cloud, and her head with a halo of stars.
Vicka (Vida) Ivanković, one of the most famous seers who was seventeen at the time of the apparitions, and who claims she sees Mary everyday since then, tells about a wonderful girl, about twenty years old, wearing a long dress and a light veil on her head; blue eyes, black and slightly wavy hair, oblong face, pink lips and cheekbones. She smiles with endless sweetness, and is so beautiful that no words can describe her. Her feet are covered by the dress and the cloud she floats on, while she has a crown on her head, symbol of triumph and regality, composed of twelve stars, as twelve were the tribes of Israel, the Apostles and the privileges of Virgin Mary:
1st PRIVILEGE: Mary Predestination.
2nd PRIVILEGE: The Immaculate conception of Mary.
3rd PRIVILEGE: The perfect compliance of Mary to God’s will.
4th PRIVILEGE: The eminent Sanctity of Mary.
5th PRIVILEGE: The Annunciation.
6th PRIVILEGE: The divine maternity of Mary.
7th PRIVILEGE: The perfect virginity of Mary.
8th PRIVILEGE: The heart martyrdom.
9th PRIVILEGE: The happiness of Mary for the resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
10th PRIVILEGE: The Assumption to the sky of Mary.
11th PRIVILEGE: The regality of Mary.
12th PRIVILEGE: The meditation of Mary and the power of her intercession.
Sometimes her dress is white, some others it’s blue, and others it’s golden. She is always surrounded by light, and with that light she calls the seers towards her, disclosing her location. And she’s always smiling, Our Lady of Medjugorje, beautiful, happy to meet her seers and friends and to be able to talk to them working as mediator between God and men as the sweetest and most attentive mother.
That is how Our Lady of Medjugorje is represented in the countless images depicting her: a beautiful girl with a sweet smile and a slightly sad look. In the statues of Our Lady of Medjugorje, for example, she always has long and wavy hair, covered by a veil. Sometimes the color of her hair changes, like the color of her eyes, but they are always sweet and looking down, towards those gathered to pray around her, hoping for a benevolent look, for her intercession, for a grace.
In the images of Our Lady of Medjugorje, artists try as they can to express the beauty of this young woman, a beauty that is undescribable, according to what seers say. This is why statues, prayer cards and paintings of Our Lady of Medjugorje instill a sense of peace and happiness to those looking at them. What is more comforting than turning your eyes towards the face of such a beautiful, sweet and lovable girl? A statue of Our Lady of Medjugorje in your home, a portrait hanged to the wall, just a small lithography or a sumptuous tapestry can clear up all the things nearby with their beauty, just like the Virgin seems radiating light, according to the seers words. Artisans in Medjugorje started creating small pictures using the typical red stones of that area, on which they apply gracious images of Mary. Using rocks and stones from Medjugorje, the artisans create heart-shaped images of Mary or other metal applications on stone for tables decoration.
Other beautiful items to keep in your home can be the images that represent Our Lady of Medjugorje as the Queen of Peace: they are hand-painted wooden statues, classy and delicate, that recall the description of the seers: under the image of the Virgin there is a golden writing saying ‘Regina pacis’, Queen of Peace.
Here are some of the statues and portraits described above:
Of course, among all the iconographic interpretations of Jesus’ Mother, the one of Our Lady of Medjugorje is the most beautiful, most comforting for the eyes and the heart.
Wall portrait made of hardwood, with Our Lady of Medjugorje lithography. Made in Italy.
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Wall tapestry with image of Our Lady of Medjugorje on landscape. Jacquard tapestry, hand-refined and entirely made in Italy.
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Picture made of stone from Medjugorje with image of Mary and child. This picture is made of Medjugorje red stone by local artisans.
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Heart-shaped image on stone with Our Lady of Medjugorje and child. Made by local artisans from Medjugorje.
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Image of Our Lady of Medjugorje on stone. Handmade ornament with Mary image and metal Medjugorje writing.
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Queen of Peace of Medjugorje in maple wood.
Hand-painted statue, classy and delicate, created following the description of the seers with golden writing: Regina pacis', that is, Queen of Peace is the light of our time.
Buy on Holyart |
Hand-painted statue, classy and delicate, created following the description of the seers with golden writing: Regina pacis’, that is, Queen of Peace is the light of our time.
The arrival of a baby in a home is always a reason for joy. Even when it gives concerns, or when the conditions don’t look perfect to welcome a baby in this world, so hard even for adults, a baby that is about to come…
In a previous article we largely talked about Rosaries, one of the devotional objects par excellence. Saying the Rosary has always been considered a way to fulfill our Christian duties, praying without tiring ourselves out, as taught by Jesus himself. On the other side, saying…
Saint Joseph in an unmissable figure when we think about Jesus life and work. Even though he was probably already dead when Jesus began his mission, it is true that his role of Mary’s husband and foster father of our Savior places him among the most important saints that are adored by the Catholic church. His popularity arises for a number of reasons. First, he was a just man. That is how he is described also in Matthew’s Gospel. Just, because he did not want to repudiate and publicly deny Mary when he found out about her miraculous pregnancy. Even if hurt and grieved for what was for him, at least at the beginning, a proof of adultery, he did not want to ruin the girl he had married; when the angel appeared to him, exhorting him to take care of her and the baby in her womb as if he were his child, Joseph humbly and dedicated accepted his fate and role. He loved and respected Mary as the most devoted husband would do, protecting her from dangers, watching over her, always attentive and present, and at the same way he raised Jesus as a son, trying to convey him all his knowledge, making him feel part of a loving and close family. A special man, Joseph was, maybe just for his simplicity. The fortune that his cult had since the ancient times probably lies in the fact that he was a common man, with whom anyone could easily identify. A big role in being a common man was undoubtedly played by the fact that he was a hard worker.
Gospels tell us that Joseph was a téktón, Greek word with many interpretations. If the popular culture chose to see Joseph as a humble carpenter, it is likely that his job was much more complex and articulated, connected to the construction industry. Scholars debated long about that, proposing various theories. Our real concern here is to underline that Joseph worked, a lot, and that he taught his Job to Jesus, as that was the tradition of those times. Therefore Saint Joseph, besides being the protector of family fathers, carpenters, ebony carpenters and dying people, is also recognized as the protector of all workers. Saint Joseph is not only celebrated on March 19th, according to the tradition, but also on May 1st, Labor Day. Pope Pius XII established this
liturgic memory in 1955, associating the figure of the Saint with the concept of work dignity itself, which in this context becomes almost an extension, a fulfillment of God’s work. During the Vatican Council II we can read of how in the figure of Saint Joseph, humble, devoted and faithful “we can recognize the dignity of human labor, as duty and perfection on men, beneficial exercise of his domination over the creation, community service, extension of the work of the Creator, contribution to the salvation plan” (see Conc. Vat. II, Gaudium et spes, 34).
He was very dear to Pope John Paul II, and even more to Pope Francis, who underlined the importance of labor in a men and women lives during the celebration of the morning Sermon to Saint Martha on May 1st, 2013. He spoke in particular about the concept of ‘dignity’ that is part of labor itself, that dignity that is too often denied to those who would like to work but cannot: “Those who work are worthy, have a special dignity, a dignity as a person: men and women that work are worthy […] (Many people want to work but cannot. […] (This) is a burden for our conscience, because when the society is organized in such way. […] Not everyone has the chance to work, to be “oiled” by the dignity of labor, that society is not good: it is not just! It goes against God himself, who wanted our dignity to begin from here“.
So that is how all those men and women who want to have a job more than anything, but are not able to find one, turn to Saint Joseph. People that are bent by necessity, and even more by the sense of incompleteness and indignity, even though that does not depend on their will, and feel doomed because of this lack. Praying to Saint Joseph becomes then a way to find the strength everyday to get over the discomfort, to renovate one’s commitment in the search, relying on the benevolence of this so humble and working saint, this simple but dignified man, who made himself instrument of God’s will going against his own pride and his understandable doubts, in the name of a mysterious plan, of a love that goes beyond any human conception.
We already talked in other articles about the Novena in Catholic church. It is a form of Christian devotion that entails saying a particular prayer or Rosary for nine consecutive days.
The Novena is usually practiced when approaching a holiday or a solemn celebration, and in general, it represents a mean of devotion for the believer asking for a grace. We remember for example the Christmas Novena, that is said starting on December 16th until Christmas Eve, and that recalls Mary’s pregnancy; or the Novena to Mary undoer of knots, with which the devotees ask for Mary’s help to untie any knot causing them pain.
Saint Joseph has his own Novena as well, dedicated to those who work, those who would like to find a job, those suffering from their job, and in general to those who see the fulfillment of themselves as individuals and members of the society in their job activities. The Novena to Saint Joseph is usually prayed from April 22nd to 30th, but can be said anytime, if someone is looking for a job, or suffers for not working, or if someone’s relatives or friends are suffering for a condition of unemployment they didn’t look nor wish for. It is usually said with a rosary, called Rosary to Saint Joseph, and expresses all the devotion to the Saint, invoking his benevolence, his comfort and his protection. In this case, as it often happens with Mary, it is Joseph that works as mediator between the devotee and God, to get him the grace he has been invoking and that is job related, even if that is never openly stated in the prayer, as instrument for awareness and individual dignity.
Oh Saint Joseph, my patron and my advocate, to you do I have recourse that you may obtain for me that grace for which I humbly pray. It may well be that the disappointments and the bitterness in my life may be the just punishment for my sins. But even If I should have to recognize my own guilt, need I lose hope in obtaining the help of the Lord? “Oh! No!’ would be the answer of your devoted client, Saint Theresa, ‘indeed, nor all you poor sinners.
No matter how great your needs, turn to the powerful help of Saint Joseph. Go to Saint Joseph with sincere confidence and rest assured that your pleas will be heard”. Therefore, I present myself before your glorious throne, 0 Holy Saint Joseph. And beg for your powerful intercession in my present tribulations. And grant that having obtained the favorable answer to my petition, I may return to your altar and there fulfill my devotion of praise and thanksgiving for your Intercession.
Our Father – Holy Mary – Glory.
Remember O most merciful Saint Joseph, that no one who has ever had recourse to you was left unaided. Countless are the graces and favors which you have obtained in answer to the prayers addressed to you. The sick, the oppressed, those who suffer injustice, the betrayed, the abandoned, in short, all who have had recourse to your protection were aided in their afflictions. Deh! o Holy Saint Joseph, do not leave me to be the only one to be deprived of your help. Show yourself kindly and generously even to me, so that my prayers of thanksgiving for your mercy may rebound for the greater glory of God.
Our Father – Holy Mary – Glory.
O Saint Joseph, head of the Holy Family, I venerate you from the profoundest depth of my heart. To the afflicted who have appealed to you before me, you have granted comfort and peace. Console even my own poor afflicted soul. You know all my needs, Saint Joseph, even before I set them before you in prayers. You know how important this petition is for me. No human heart can comfort me; I hope you can bring comfort to me, o glorious Saint. Grant me the answer to the favor for which I so desperately pray and I pledge myself to spread your devotion everywhere and to support, within the limits of my abilities, those charities which, in your name, aid the afflicted and the dying throughout the world. O. S. Joseph, consoler of the afflicted, have mercy on my Sorrow!
Our Father – Holy Mary – Glory.
May is the month of Holy Communions. The First Communion is one of the most important and precious sacraments in the life of a young Christian. It celebrates the moment when, for the first time, he or she will be able to approach the Holy…
Since their origins, monasteries have not only been centres for meeting and prayer, but also the guardians of ancient knowledge, bulwarks of faith and spirituality even in times when ferocity and barbarism dominated the known world. The fall of the Western Roman Empire (476 AD)…
The Crucifix of San Damiano is the one in front of which St. Francis was intent on praying when, in the distant year of 1205, he received from the Lord the call to work to restore his church. The Saint of Assisi believed at first that the Most High was referring to the church of San Damiano, where he was at that time, and that he needed a restoration work, but later realized that your request included the Church, ravaged by decadence, corruption, internal struggles. “Go and repair my house, which as you can see is all in ruins” were in fact the words that the crucifix addressed to the very young saint.
Today the Crucifix of San Damiano is an image famous all over the world, the goal of a constant pilgrimage by the thousands of faithful who go to Assisi each year. Originally located in the church of San Damiano, it is now exposed at the monastery of Santa Chiara, where it was transferred in 1275.
But what makes this sacred image so special? Certainly a large part of his celebrity comes from Saint Francis of Assisi and from the mystical experience linked to the Crucifix of San Damiano that involved him, but this particular representation of Christ triumphant on the cross existed long before the eyes of the poor Assisi set themselves on it. In fact this type of cross, which strongly recalls the Byzantine icons, is born with the Eastern Church and arrives in Italy and in Umbria through a long and adventurous journey.
But let us proceed one step at a time.
Damianus, or Damian, was a young doctor of Arab origin, born in the city of Aegean or Aigai in Cilicia (today known as Ayas of the Armenians, Turkey) and lived in the III century AD in what was then known as Roman Syria. It belonged to a family of five brothers: Cosma (according to modern scholars the twin of Damiano), Antimo, Leonzio and Euprepio. The identity of the father is unknown, even if it seems to be a Christian who suffered martyrdom still very young. The mother, Toedora, or Teodata, later sanctified in turn, raised the five children by herself. Because he belonged to a wealthy family, he was able to guarantee them a good education, so much so that all five began a career as a doctor, but, above all, being a deeply religious and devoted woman, he educated them to the love of God. Damian and his brothers studied in Syria and probably in Alexandria, at the schools of Theophrastus and Galen. Their being Christians marked their fate irremediably: they were all martyred, presumably during one of the persecutions promoted by the emperor Diocletian (284 – 305). The legend tells that, arrested by the prefect of Cilicia, Damiano and Cosma were first stoned, then flogged, crucified and targeted by darts. But the stones rebounded on them, hitting the soldiers, and the tips of the arrows and spears did not scratch them. Then they were thrown into the sea tied to heavy boulders, but the ropes that held them melted, and they were saved. Then they were chained and locked in a furnace, but not even the fire licked them.
Eventually all five brothers were beheaded in the city of Cirro, near Antioch of Syria. A less fanciful tradition speaks of arrest, torture and death by decapitation under Diocletian.
Their worship began immediately after their death. Throughout the East churches and sanctuaries dedicated to them were erected, and rapidly reached even the West, and Rome. As early as the 6th century, the Canon of the Mass recalled after those of the Apostles the names of twelve martyrs, including Cosmas and Damian.
In addition to martyrdom, it was also the virtuous life to assign these special brothers to the Holiness.
They used to treat the needy without asking for anything in return, according to the Gospel precept: “Gratis accepistis, gratis date” “for free you received, free dates “ (Mt 10.8). This had earned them the nickname of anàrgiri, or Anargyroi (from the Greek Ανάργυροι, “without silver”, “without money”).
Only once did Damiano accept between eggs from a woman who had healed, and this gesture offended his twin Cosma to the point of asking him that, once dead, his remains were laid far from those of his brother.
The medical activity allowed Damiano and his brothers to come in contact with many men and women, and to preach the word of God to them. There were many conversions made by the five brothers, and it was also what triggered the persecution of the Emperor on them.
We call the cult for Damiano and his brothers, in particular Cosma, the cult of “medical saints”, venerated by all the Christian professionals, considered the protectors of Doctors, Surgeons, Pharmacists and Hairdressers.
Eventually Cosma and Damiano were buried together, after a camel acquired the gift of the word only to defend the good intentions and the good faith of Damiano himself in the matter of the three eggs. The two older brothers immediately began to be worshiped as healers and thaumaturges, and their relics, considered miraculous, began to travel between East and West, throughout the known world, hosted by cathedrals and basilicas in Constantinople, Rome, Jerusalem, Madrid, Monaco, and in Egypt. Traditional iconography always represents them together, with their medical instruments, their vases of ointments and pharmaceutical remedies, and the palm of martyrdom. The Catholic Church celebrates their memory on September 26 with optional worship, the Orthodox one on July 1st, October 17th or November 1st.
Let us now come to the Crucifix of San Damiano, before which Francis of Assisi gathered himself in prayer on that day which changed his life forever.
As we have already written, it is a cross-icon in Byzantine style, probably painted in the twelfth century by a Syrian monk. Jesus, despite being on the cross, does not appear suffering, but triumphant, like a king on the throne, according to the typically medieval iconography of Christus triumphans. As always happens when we speak of Byzantine art, the beauty of the work does not reside so much in the aesthetic confirmation of the same, which offers rather a certain anatomical disproportion and a dimension that some have defined caricatured, or comic, of the figures. The beauty of this crucifix, probably one of a series painted at that time by the mysterious artist, expresses a powerful spirituality, a solemnity that cannot be grasped with a superficial glance. Everything is structured in a meticulous way, in its apparent naivety, everything occupies the space that belongs to it, in a framework where one breathes the inspiration of the divine Triumph.
Jesus is wounded and dying, yet he never appeared so strong. He triumphs over death, confronts him with his head held high, with his eyes open, great, immense compared to the other figures that populate the background. It is depicted with a kind of golden thong around the flanks, of Egyptian derivation, probably, which symbolizes His being, at the same time, high priest and sacrificial victim. On your head the halo looks like a golden crown, her hair is neat, her face expresses nobility, beauty, serenity. It’s true, his eyes turned to the sky they appear perhaps too big, out of proportion to the face, but the meaning that they want to express is clear: He is the one who more than everyone can see, who looks at Heaven and at the Father for us all. On his head there is the writing Ihs Nazare Rex Iudeorum, or “Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews”. Even higher, a medallion it shows Jesus ascending to heaven, surrounded by angels in glory, and above him the blessing hand of God the Father.
Returning to the crucifix, there is one on Jesus’ forehead dove that swoops with wings spread, symbol of the Holy Spirit.
The image of Jesus is enclosed in a frame made of shells, which follow the contours of the cross and symbolize beauty and eternity.
The characters at base of the cross are not distinguishable: it could be, according to some scholars, the patrons of Umbria, or San Damiano, patron of the church that housed the cross, San Ruffino, patron of Assisi, and then San Michele, San Giovanni the Baptist, San Pietro, and St. Paul, all patrons of churches in the area of Assisi. Like all the other characters in the work are much smaller than the figure of Jesus.
Some scholars speak of subliminal messages hidden in the painting, details that the eye does not grasp, at a first superficial glance: on the chest of Jesus one can glimpse the head of a character, perhaps God Almighty, traced with the watermark, and another not better defined figure.
The hands of Jesus dripping blood on two mirror-like pairs of angels located under His arms. The angels on the right and on the left are the angels Messengers of God, who look at the stigmata with serenity and participation, discussing among them the mystery that is being consummated.
A third and a fourth figure they close each arm of the Cross with their own bodies, perhaps two evangelists, or two apostles, or perhaps the Jewish people and the ‘gentiles’.
Under the right arm of Jesus, bigger, there are Mary, and the Apostle John. The two look at each other, smile at each other, pointing to Jesus, who, by the will of the latter, have become mother and son: “Woman, behold your son …” (Thurs. 19/26 Mary has her left hand resting on her cheek, while with her right hand she points to Giovanni. She is dressed in white, a symbol of purity, of deep red, color of love, and of purple, with a reference to the fabrics that are said to line up the Ark of the Covenant. Her garments are quilted with precious stones, which symbolize the virtues. John is dressed in pink, the color of eternal wisdom, and white, a sign of purity.
Under the left arm of Jesus three other figures: Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James and the Centurion. As for Maria and Giovanni, these figures also have their name shown below, under their feet.
Mary Magdalene dressed in red, color of love. She and Mary, mother of James, touch each other’s foreheads, as if something were whispering.
The last figure on the left, representing a bearded man dressed in white and red, would represent the Centurion whose son Jesus healed, leading to the conversion of the whole family.
Two smaller characters are symmetrically located in front of Mary and the Centurion: the one on the left is a Roman soldier, Longino, who pierced Our Lord’s chest and brought out water and blood; the other is placed in the same position, but does not seem a Roman soldier, but rather a Jew. It could also be Stephen, the Roman soldier who made Jesus drink the vinegar with the sponge, but it is more probable that the two figures symbolize the two peoples who condemned Jesus to death, Romans and Jews.
Next to Jesus’ left leg there is a cock, symbol of the sun that is born, or of Jesus himself rising from the dead.
The crucifix of San Damiano remained in the church of the same name renovated by Francesco, for forty years, guarded by Santa Chiara and her sisters. A few years after the death of the Saint, the nuns moved the monastery inside the city walls, where the basilica of Santa Chiara was erected. They brought with them the Crucifix of San Damiano, which is still there, in a chapel. A copy has remained in the church of San Damiano.
On our store you will find a wide range of reproductions of the Crucifix of San Damiano, both for support, both to hang and to wear around the neck. Most of them are handcrafted in moulded wood, and are available in various sizes.
There is also a splendid tapestry version with an exclusive design, with a refined Jacquard weave and satin-lined. A special pocket for the insertion of the rod will make it possible to hang it and display it. There are crucifixes of San Damiano pendants, made of Assisi olive wood, silver or coloured. An alternative to the wooden pendants are the silver-plated pendant crucifixes with engraving on the back. The Crucifix of San Damiano can also be the heart of a Rosary with grains in light brown oval wood and dark brown silk binding, made up of many knots, light and simple. Below we present the products described, available on our site!
Baptism, communion, Confirmation. Three of the most important sacraments for a Christian. Baptism establishes the entrance of the new faithful in the womb to the church, with redemption from original sin through water and its rebirth as a new man; the Communion establishes the first,…
We’ve often referred to the importance of prayer for a good Christian. Although the time we can devote to it every day is small, even if we cannot recite the Rosary very often, finding a time of recollection just for us, to speak with God…
Christmas is probably the ultimate family holiday. However, there are different types of families. Or not? How do Royal families celebrate Christmas, for example? Are their traditions the same as ours, like decorating the tree and exchanging gifts?
The English Royals, as usual, are very, very faithful to the etiquette! Their Holidays are organized according to precise and unavoidable commitments, which involve every member of the family and require a strict ritual.
Gifts exchange is on the 24th, and not on the 25th, as the Queen wishes, and they must not be excessively sumptuous. Celebrations begin on Christmas Eve afternoon, when the whole Royal Family gather in the royal residence in Sandringham for tea, and children finish decorating the sumptuous Christmas tree, about 18 meters high. To go to Sandringham, Queen Elizabeth travels on a common train, as hundreds of commuters do everyday, obviously escorted by her bodyguards. On Christmas day, the whole family goes to mass.
The Windsors go to Saint Mary Magdalene church for their private mass and then they attend the official mass at 11AM, along with their subjects.
Lunch is in Sandringham, serving turkey and wild game, followed by the Queen’s speech on TV; in the afternoon, the traditional pheasant hunting takes place before tea, which requires the change of clothes; at night, they all attend an elegant yet sober dinner.
In the Principality of Monaco and in Belgium the royals choose to share the holidays with their subjects, organizing concerts for them, distributing gifts to children, and other convivial events.
The Swedish royals select the Christmas trees that will decorate the royal palace themselves, being the choice itself an occasion for holiday, while the Spanish sovereigns celebrate at the dinner table with typical traditional Spanish dishes, and wait for the Epiphany to unwrap their gifts. They also share their celebrations and joy with their subjects, through the ancient tradition of the Royal Christmas card, with which they send their good wishes to the whole nation.
In Sweden, Christmas looks even more magical. Maybe that is because winter is colder and darker than in other countries, and people need to concoct something to warm up their bodies and hearts. Or maybe that’s because the traditions of that country are so suggestive…
In Christian religion, light has always had a very important symbolic meaning. That is demonstrated by the fact that it was used since the origins of fire during celebrations, and also by the fact that the use of candles spread not only as a source…
The Advent Wreath is at the same time a Christmas ornament that embellishes your home and an object of great sacred value for believers. As a matter of fact, the Advent Wreath accompanies the devotees for four weeks until Christmas. It is made of many strong sybolic elements: the green branches and berries recall winter season; the wreath is a symbol for unity, communion and eternity and recalls the sun and the Earth, while the four candles are a symbol for the saving light offered to all men on Christmas.
A candle is lit for every Advent Sunday, and each one of the four has a precise meaning.
The first one is the “Prophet’s candle”: it recalls the prophecies about the coming of the Messiah.
The second one is the “Bethlehem’s candle”, in memory of the place where Jesus was brought to life.
The third one is the “Shepherds’ candle”, the humbles among the humbles, the first ones to see and worship the Messiah.
The fourth one is the “Angles’ candle”, who anounced the miracolous birth of Our Lord to the whole world.
The four candles also represent the progressive victory of Light against Darkness, which culminates with Jesus’ birth. Under that point of view, the candles symbolize Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, the message brought by the Baby to the world.
The Advent Wreath was created in the middle of the XIX century from an idea of the Protestant Shepherd Johann Hinrich Wichern, who wanted to brighten the nights of the orphan kids in Berlin with this ornament. At the beginning it was taking hold mainly in oratorios, orphanages and schools, but it soon spread widely also in private houses. Still today, giving an Advent Wreath is a gesture of affection and devotion.
Advent Wreaths are beautiful, decorated with green branches as well as with berries, ribbons, golden and silver Christmas decorations. They can be used as elegant centerpieces for Holidays as well as liturgical objects, and bring light, warmth and beauty to the whole house.
