PAINTING AT THE SHRINE OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD

This is a copy of the immense Crucifixion painting above the Main Altar at the Precious Blood Shrine in Brooklyn, New York.  Bishops, priests, sisters and lay people state that it is one of the most marvelous religious pictures in existence.

BACKGROUND OF PICTURE:  Out of the darkness of the Old Testament, indicated by the dark blue sky, shines the red glow of the Precious Blood in the new Testament.  Back of Calvary is the ancient temple of Jerusalem, the scene of the old Sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb, etc., now giving way to the new Sacrifice of the Immaculate Lamb.  The golden rays around Christ symbolize the infinite value of the graces purchased for us by the Precious Blood.

"LOOK UPON THE FACE OF CHRIST"—and His entire Body, giving up His last Drop of Blood.  Many are the extraordinary conversions wrought by this touching figure of Christ.

THE ANGELS REPRESENT THE CLOISTERED SISTERS offering themselves as "Living Chalices," pouring themselves out by prayer and sacrifice in union with Our Savior for God's glory and the salvation of souls.

"BEHOLD THY MOTHER"—Mary stood beneath the cross, the Gospel tells us, and not swooning as we see her in some pictures.  There she stands as the high-priestess, clothed in her mantle of Blue; her beautiful sorrowing immaculate face, gazing on the face of her dying son, "close to Jesus to the last."

The TWO WOMEN at the side of our Mother typify the sorrowing, people of the Old Testament, yet clad in green, the color which symbolizes hope in Jesus, their Bleeding Savior.

MARY MAGDALEN again kneels at the feet of Jesus, enshrining in her napkin the Precious Blood trickling down the cross.  What a chaste, inspiring picture is this of Mary Magdalen, the Saint, in contrast to exaggerated pictures which still portray her as a sinner.

ST. JOHN, here, is true to the description given by the Gospel which depicts him as the Thinker, and the "Son of Thunder," not an effeminate youth as he is frequently represented by most painters.

LONGINUS, the soldier, after opening the side of Jesus and piercing His Sacred Heart, is now exclaiming "Truly, this is the Son of God."

In the upper left-hand corner is shown the "LAMB that was slain" symbolizing the SACRIFICE of the Mass.  His seven Bloodstreams flowing upon the earth which are the seven Sacraments.

In the upper right-hand corner is shown the PELICAN, piercing her breast to feed her starving little ones; symbolizing the SACRAMENT of the Eucharist wherein Jesus nourishes us with His own Precious Blood.

Around the border of the picture may be seen the Passion Flower and the grapes, ever used by the Church as symbols of the Precious Blood.

 

To join the Confraternity of the Precious Blood, write to:

Monastery of the Precious Blood 
5300 Fort Hamilton Parkway
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11219