The Adoration of the Magi, c. 504/560 and later. Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna. It’s Epiphany – a moment of sudden and great revelation – and today celebrates the moment at which the wise men recognised Jesus as the Boy Born to be King, their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh usually interpreted as gifts suitable forContinue reading “118 – Epiphany in Ravenna”
Author Archives: drrichardstemp
117 – St Thomas Becket
St Thomas Becket, c. 1178-89. Monreale Cathedral, Sicily. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered on 29 December 1170 – eight hundred and fifty years ago. I wanted to mark the occasion. I’m not going to talk much about him, or about his relationship with King Henry II, the man who has always been blamedContinue reading “117 – St Thomas Becket”
An Advent Calendar – 25
‘Happy Christmas!’
An Advent Calendar – 24
‘Myrrh’ – Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume Brings a life of gathering gloom; Sorrowing, sighing, Bleeding, dying, Sealed in the stone-cold tomb. Once more John Henry Hopkins Jr. proves his knowledge of Origen. To complete the quotation that has built up over the last two days, ‘gold, as to a king; myrrh, as toContinue reading “An Advent Calendar – 24”
An Advent Calendar – 23
‘Frankincense’ – Frankincense to offer have I, Incense owns a Deity nigh: Prayer and praising All men raising, Worship Him, God on high. We Three Kings was originally written to be sung by three men, each one representing a magus, and each verse was sung as a solo, explaining the choice of gift. The firstContinue reading “An Advent Calendar – 23”
An Advent Calendar – 22
‘Gold’ – Born a King on Bethlehem plain, Gold I bring to crown Him again, King forever Ceasing never Over us all to reign. We know what the gifts are – it tells us in the bible. That is how we know there were gifts in the first place. They are in Matthew 2:11, whichContinue reading “An Advent Calendar – 22”
An Advent Calendar – 21
‘Mary’ – Before I start, some breaking news: I will be giving an online lecture this evening (Monday 21 December) entitled ‘The Adoration of the Magi’ – I’m covering for my dear friend Nick Ross who, alas, is not well. Here’s wishing him a speedy recovery, and if you just happen to be free fromContinue reading “An Advent Calendar – 21”
An Advent Calendar – 20
‘Joseph’ – Oh, Joseph! Poor Joseph! Always off to one side, half in the shadows, but with so much responsibility. Of course, the bible says next to nothing about him – apart from the fact that he was of the house of David, and was thought to be Jesus’s father. So almost everything we knowContinue reading “An Advent Calendar – 20”
An Advent Calendar – 19
‘The First Magus’ – I know – I’ve already talked about two magi, so why is this the First Magus? Well, because I’ve talked about them in reverse order of seniority. Balthazar has a thin, straggly, beard, and I suggested at the time that he was probably the youngest. What I didn’t mention yesterday, whenContinue reading “An Advent Calendar – 19”
An Advent Calendar – 18
‘Another Magus’ – This is Melchior. I know this, because we have met Balthazar already, and tomorrow we will meet Casper – both of their names are included on the painting. Melchior’s is not, but by a process of elimination… He is arguably the most stylishly dressed of the three, but I make that assertionContinue reading “An Advent Calendar – 18”
