Learning through Art: Miniature from the Monastery of St. Dionysius

This is the second of a new series of Learning through Art articles based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the Year of Faith. The first of the series looked at the logo that should be, and usually can be, found on the front cover of the Catechism. The next four articles will be looking at the four images that are included to introduce each of the four parts of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.[i] We are beginning with the image used to introduce Part four, the Part on Christian Prayer.[ii] We begin with Part four, rather than part one, for various reasons: 1) All catechesis is to begin with prayer and is for prayer, that is, it is for that encounter with Christ that changes one’s life for ever, for that longed-for filial relationship with One’s heavenly Father. 2) The picture teaches us the Trinitarian nature of the prayer of a Christian which is with Christ, in the Holy Spirit, to the Father, by which we can cry out Abba! 3) This part introduces us to the Lord’s Prayer which is called a summary of the gospel. We start, therefore, with this image, that sums up prayerfully the whole of the Good News.[iii]