The Nativity

Over the centuries, the Nativity image tends to resist change in subject matter and even in composition.

The Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star, is a star in Christian tradition that revealed the birth of Jesus to the magi (or "wise men") and later led them to Bethlehem.

Western art always places the birth of Christ in a stable

God used angels to proclaim the coming of the messiah, and then again to announce the birth of Jesus. God sent the angel Gabriel, specifically, to announce to Mary that she would be the mother of the Christ.

"Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest") The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.

St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis espoused a simple spirituality that attracted a wide following. He organized the men who followed him into the Order of Friars Minor (the "Franciscans"); he also helped Clare of Assisi to form an order for women now known as the Poor Clares.

What distinguish St. Francis from his followers are the stigmata visible on his hands and feet.

Feast day: October 4

Queen of the Rosary

The Virgin Mary stands alone or with the Christ Child and holds a rosary in her hand.

The Virgin usually holds a rosary and wears blue and white.

The legend that it was St. Dominic who first taught the Rosary devotion was invented by the Dominican Alan de Rupe in the 15th century.

The practice of using beads in Christian prayer in the West goes back at least to the 10th century and was associated with the Our Father rather than the Hail Mary until the 12th century.

Day of commemoration: First Sunday of October

Saint Joseph

The Gospel of Luke mentions St. Joseph once in the narrative of Jesus' birth. Most of the material used in the images is St. Joseph come from the Gospel of

In the Golden Legend there is story of all of the widowers being called to the Temple with their rods; in the temple they were told that there would be a sign to show which of the widowers should be betrothed to Mary.

St. Joseph is chosen when a flower (lily) grows out of the rod the Legend also ties this episode to Isaiah 11:1, "And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root."

Stained glass, portraits and statues represent St. Joseph with the flowering rod

Feast day: March 19

The Ascension of Christ

The Feast of the Ascension commemorates Jesus' ascension into heaven 40 days after his resurrection. Thus Ascension Day falls 40 days after Easter, on the 6th Thursday of Easter. Jesus is "taken up into heaven" in the Ascension narratives in Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, and Acts 1:6-12

This interpretation of Ascension image expresses the motion of ascent by having the apostles look up toward the upper edge of the image, where all but the lower part of Christ's feet has passed out of view.

Symbols: Ascending Christ

Feast day: Forty days after Easter