Pope Francis holds his speech during the Ordinary Public Consistory at St. Peter's Basilica on November 19, 2016 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo : Franco Origlia / Stringer)
Christmas is already in the air and the Vatican is now ready to give people Christmas cards with images that Pope Francis has handpicked himself. For this year's Christmas, the beloved Pope has chosen the fourteenth-century painting that is found inside a church in Assisi, Italy.
The painting done by Giotto dl Bondone, an Italian artist shows a nativity scene with the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, angels, shepherds and all the animals, which include lamb, goat and cow, present. However, with the distinct detail, there is just this one thing that makes the masterpiece a little bit odd and makes it more unique, Huffington Post reported.
What makes it unique to other nativity scene is the presence of two baby Jesus Christ. One of which is held by the Virgin Mother and the other is being held by a woman just right below the bed where Mary is seated.
The two Jesus Christ present in the masterpiece was never been a mistake. In fact, the two images of Christ show his two natures, which are being human and divine, the National Catholic Register posted. Glotto painted Jesus twice in order to express what he believes in and also to share that belief to other people as well. The babies are also wrapped in rugs representing how Jesus came into the world just to become the bearer of the sufferings of all mankind.
The inspiration behind the making of this art is Saint Francis of Assisi and his love to share the story behind how God has come into flesh through Jesus Christ and His birth scene. St. Francis of Assisi said as written in his biography, the nativity scene was made "to do something that will recall the memory of that Child who was born in Bethlehem, to see with bodily eyes the inconvenience of his infancy, how he lay in the manger and how the ox and ass stood by."
Describing Pope Francis' Christmas cards for 2015.
