Christmas Guided Workshop: “The Birth of Christ” Illumination from The Saint John’s Bible

Birth of Christ, Donald Jackson, © 2002 The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville,Minnesota USA. Used with permission. All rights reserved. — Birth of Christ, Donald Jackson, © 2002 The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

In December of each year, Christians recount the story of the Birth of Christ. Familiar images of the Virgin Mary in a lonely manger with the Son of God in her arms fill the minds of seekers across the world. Together, we celebrate and relish in this happy story. Often, it is the story that propels us into the New Year with feelings of joy, rebirth, and renewal. Miracles do happen.

As the years come and go, the story becomes more and more familiar. Maybe you have little ones in your life – children, nieces, nephews, cousins, or grandchildren – and your role now is to impart this story to them. So, how can we be sure we never lose the magic andread this story with fresh eyes each year?

When you gather with your loved ones around a dinner table or Christmas tree this year, The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Program offers you this guided Visio Divina. We encourage you to print out this article and illumination (or send it to your loved ones digitally) and follow this guided exercise together. We hope – and believe – you will learn something new about this ancient story and each other.

Step 1: What do you see?

The first step in finding meaning is identifying what is before you. Start with this very basic question: What do you see?

During this phase of the exercise, it will be tempting to draw conclusions about what certain motifs and imagery mean. Try your best to stay where you are in the exercise. Really focus on what is in front of you and take it all in.

This step is especially important if you have folks in your group for which it is difficult or impossible to see. Be sure that your descriptions are just that – descriptive – and that you are not yet making meaning out of what you see. Simply describe what is in front of you.

Give yourself and your group a few minutes in this phase. Be sure to really listen to everyone. All our eyes see things differently, and you might notice something you wouldn’t have on your own.

Step 2: What are you curious about?

Before we move fully into interpretation, ask yourself and your group: What are you curious about? Get very inquisitive here. Some common questions include:

Why did the artist choose these colors?

Why does that motif show up multiple times?

Which areas of the illumination have gold foiling? Why?

Say every question aloud for everyone to hear. Your curiosity will compound the more you hear others’ questions. Don’t try to answer them just yet. Simply offer them to yourself and the group.

Step 3: Meaning-Making

Now that your group has collectively established what you see and fostered curiosity, allow yourself to make meaning. The first step is to let the connections start flowing. Is there one part of the illumination that reminds you of something in your life? How about in other works of art you’ve seen?

If you are having trouble, pick one part of the illumination that you identified in step one and begin there. What emotions are coming up for you? Remember, every brushstroke and choice are intentional. Why do you think the artist did what they did? What does it mean to you? There are no wrong answers. Are any personal memories arising as you look at this artwork?

It is also helpful to choose one part of the illumination and ask yourself: How does this contribute to my understanding of the story behind this illumination? Did you learn something new about the nativity, or form a connection you hadn’t before? You are encouraged to read the Scripture. Do any passages mean something new to you now? Are you noticing anything that you hadn’t before? What is striking you?

Let yourself have a fluid conversation as a group. Remember to lead with curiosity. If you and another loved one see something differently, ask them why they see it the way they do. Try to understand. Once again, there are no wrong answers.

Treasure Hunt

You did it! Together, you engaged inVisio Divina and learned something new about art, scripture, and your loved ones.

You’re not alone; plenty of artists and scholars have tried their own hands at interpreting this illumination. Here are some of their nuggets of wisdom. Did you notice what they noticed? How is their interpretation different from yours?

Mary, mother of Jesus and baby Jesus – This is the only illumination in The Saint John’s Bible that depicts Our Lady Mary. You’ll notice, however, that Jesus is absent from this illumination. In his book Word and Image, scholar and Monk of Saint John’s Abbey Fr. Michael Patella, OSB, argues that this absence is an invitation to envision Jesus in our own lives, not just on the page. Scholar Joanna Homrighausen echos thisargumentin her 2018 book, Illuminating Justice: The Ethical Imagination of The Saint John’s Bible,writing that Jesus is absent because “we are to place him there in our own lives.”

Border and framing –Homrighausen also notes that scribe and illuminator Donald Jackson uses a textile pattern on the border of “The Birth of Christ” that is only otherwise used in “Raising of Lazarus.” Why do you think this is? Homrighausen argues that “Jackson links Jesus’ miracle of raising Lazarus with the miracle of new life worked through women worldwide. Her [Mary’s] faith and witness, demonstrated by her canticle and her courage in bearing a baby despite social stigma, make her a prophet and miracle-worker in her own right.” Patella, in Word and Image, agrees.

The ox – In Susan Sink’s 2013 work, The Art of The Saint John’s Bible: The complete reader’s guide, she notes that the ox is illustrated in the same style as found in Neolithic cave paintings of great aurochs at Lascaux, France. The use of an ox is perhaps a nod to Luke, whose motif is often an ox in traditional Medieval Christian art.

The manger – Did you notice anything interesting about the perspective that Donald Jackson used to depict the manger? Sink did. In The Art of The Saint John’s Bible, she writes, “The manger is barely visible, surrounded as it is by animals. It is depicted with the ‘reverse perspective’ technique often seen in Byzantine icon artworks, wherein the front appears narrower than the back.” What do you think is the significance of using this style of illustration? What impact does it have?

An Invitation: Share Your Reflections

We invite you to share your interpretations of this illumination on social media. Share a photo of your family completing the exercise and tag @SaintJohnsBible on Twitter (X), Facebook (Meta), and Instagram to be featured on The Saint John’s Bible social platforms.

To read more stories similar to this one, visit the Heritage Program blogandsubscribe to our monthly e-newsletter, Sharing the Word.