Mary and Joseph Journey to Bethlehem in Religious Art

“Christian iconography expresses in images the same Gospel message that Scripture communicates by words. Image and word illuminate each other.” (CCC 1160)

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Mary and Joseph on the way to Bethlehem - Hugo Van der Goes (1430/1440 - 1482)

Journey to Bethlehem - c. 1320  mosaic Istanbul, Turkey

Mary and Joseph made this 80 mile journey to Bethlehem when Mary was near her time to give birth. There were no paved roads, no rest stops, they did not have advanced reservations for accommodations and they traveled by donkey. Just something to reflect on while reading the Gospel passage below which is depicted in the artwork above.   

Luke 2: 1-4 

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.  This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.   And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 

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Picture Source - Public Domain

The Role of Religious Art in Faith Formation - Month of December 2019 Index

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