Many may not be aware, but today is the observance of the Old Testament prophet and patriarch, Moses. The Old Testament righteous are frequently neglected in modern popular piety, which is really rather a shame given their place in salvation history, so today, in order to help emphasize his feast, we are very pleased to present a cycle of painted works that were undertaken by the Athenian artist Markos Kampanis that were specifically done around the life of Moses for the monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai. For those not familiar with this monastery, it was built between the years A.D. 548-565 under the orders of the Eastern Roman Emperor, Justinian, and is located on the site of Mount Sinai where Moses is said to have encountered God in the form of the Burning Bush.
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| St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai |
Here they are for your consideration.
Within the great medieval basilicas, one often sees Old Testament patriarchs such as Moses featured in mosaics and other objects of liturgical art. In later centuries, as devotion to more and more Christian saints arose with the passing centuries, some of this would fade into the background, but it remains an important aspect of Catholic liturgical art.
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| Moses and the Burning Bush |
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| The covenant meal on Mount Sinai |
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| The Exodus, showing the parting of the Red Sea and Moses bringing water from a rock |
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| Moses receiving the tablets of the Law and the destruction of the golden calf |
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| The miracle of the Manna come down from heaven |
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| The Transfiguration |
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