The Western Churches are celebrating Epiphany today in Israel.
I went to Abu Ghosh to observe the beautiful prayer service at Saint Mary of the Resurrection Abbey.
.
And guess what!Their Book of the Gospels (which I showed you last week) now has a new binding.
.
But inside, the lovingly illuminated pages painted and written by the freres and the soeurs of the community are still the same..
Epiphany marks the night when the three Magi arrived at the humble birthplace of Jesus.
This page shows even their camel and horse kneeling before the baby!
.
This is my favorite page.
Enlarge the photo and you will see monastic communities from all over the Hills of Jerusalem ( Hills of Judea), actual nuns and monks of our own day and age, 2011, are walking toward the manger.
I know some of the people by name!
What a great idea, to make the Book of the Gospels span two millennia in such a way.
.
In previous posts: Epiphany at Abu Ghosh 2007, and T.S. Eliot's poem "The Journey of the Magi".
Gallery images and more about the Gospel Book at the abbey's website.
.
.
Superb, Dina -
ReplyDeleteAnd at Chez la Vache, you will find galette des rois.
Beautiful and marvelous, both. I love the quality of the illustrations...whoever drew the figures in that last photo has a wonderful sense of line and color; I could gaze at it for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a joy for the sense of sight and thought as well. Thank you for sharing these colours during me night.
ReplyDeletePlease have a good Friday.
daily athens
An important book should always have important covers and bindings, right? From your photo, the covers look substantial and handsome.
ReplyDeleteWhat a priceless book! Thanks for showing us!
ReplyDeleteNew and old - continuity.
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! The drawings are brilliant. I love those colours they are like those of the murals in the Danish churches.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting. I hope and pray for those Queenlanders who lost their possessions. May they be safe from crocs and snakes.Does your daughter live in Queensland?
Hi Dina! Hope you entered 2011 in great shape!!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to put real people in the Book!!
Blogtrotter Two is visiting the third largest artificial lake in the world (by volume). Enjoy and have a superb weekend!
Like many other holidays Epiphany has almost lost any religious significance here, at least for most of the people.
ReplyDeleteToooo tooo Magnificent! Wow!
ReplyDeleteWhat a magnificent book. There's something about a book of this quality. Timeless.
ReplyDeleteVery artistic and pretty!!:)
ReplyDeleteok
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to return when I have more time