Christian Imagery As Inspiration, Decor, More

THE ADVOCATE
BY Leila Pitchform-English

LOUISIANA---Visual communication through art in Christian churches dates almost to the church’s beginning. Often art was used in churches because most people couldn’t read, so religious stories were portrayed in pictures to make them memorable. In addition to education, the art serves to inspire, sometimes just from the beauty of the decorative objects. Often objects were designed to point the way toward God or to honor God. In Lafayette, a museum has gathered artifacts from the region to display. See the related story, “The art of faith.” [link]

KEY TERMS IN CHRISTIAN ART/ARTIFACTS:

• STAINED GLASS WINDOWS: a practice that dates to at least the 800s.
• CHALICE: This is the cup holding wine in Communion.
• CIBORIUM: This is a lidded vessel that holds the Eucharistic bread.
• CHASUBLE: This is a priest’s or bishop’s outermost vestment while celebrating the Eucharist.
• MONSTRANCE: This object shows the Eucharistic Host or bread so it may be venerated. 
• ICON: The word comes from the Greek “eikon,” which means “image.”