Pentecost Art - From the Oil Paintings of Petrus Christus to the Oil Paintings of Diego Da Vinci

Pentecost is a four-day period during which the Holy Spirit is shed through a number of visible and invisible signs. According to Acts of Pentecost, this period was initiated by a number of prophets, together with three elders from among the people. In fact, this particular tradition can be traced back to the first Sunday of Lent. Although some scholars disagree over whether Pentecost was originally instituted as a special time of repentance, there is no doubt that it has always been closely connected with the idea of gaining inner strength by means of a time of fasting and prayer.

During the four days that Pentecost was celebrated, many great miracles occurred. Most significantly, St. Peter conducted a general visit to the evangelist Paul and opened his gospel to the Gentiles. When he did this, according to Acts of Pentecost, he shared bread and wine with them, which are symbols of the body and blood of Christ. The tradition continues to this day, and even though the littlest members of the Christian community may not be familiar with the details of this event, they certainly recognize the significance of the event and its subsequent symbolism.

The four-day period of Pentecost is widely regarded as a time of intense spiritual darkness. During this time, many "heresies" were spoken against God, as well as false and unspiritual teachings were presented. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit breathed in the gospel to bring light and understanding to those who had fallen into darkness. At the end of the four-day celebration, St. Peter, with the others, laid their hands on the manger, which is a symbol of God's mercy.

In contemporary art, Pentecost art finds its expression in many works. One prominent example is the painting, Faith, by Joanna M. Zick. In this work, Zick, an American-born Catholic, portrays the Virgin Mary and the angels as she appears from the spirit world. She is dressed in ragged clothing, which reveals the signs of the Passion and the pains she had undergone for accepting Jesus into her life.

The painting emphasizes her need to let go of her former, material, comfortable life in order to enter into heaven. It is during this time that she is able to see the face of Jesus, for he has come down from heaven to Earth to take on human form for several moments. A rainbow arch is formed above her as she embraces him, and behind her there is the figure of a baby, which is meant to represent the coming of the Holy Family. The background is of a white field with a few sunflowers surrounding the figure of Mary and Jesus. The painting is said to represent the four days of Jesus' spiritual birth, and it was created for the Santo Domingo Church in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Pentecost Art continues to live on today. Many churches have their own Pentecost paintings hung on the walls, and many devotees continue to use them as a way to remember the birth and life of Jesus. There are even annual religious classes taught about the paintings and their symbolism, and more modern-day artists continue to use the imagery found in the Pentecost paintings to paint works of art. Pentecost is also a name given to the celebration of St. Valentine's Day. Some people believe that this tradition began with a church in the region of Rome that was known as "Prairie," but this remains unclear.