I Searched for Jesus, and Here’s What I Found

A life-sized baby Jesus doll on sale laies on the pavement at the Mercado in San Miguel de Allende. Photo by Barbara Newhall — **New to the world:** A life-sized baby Jesus doll on sale at the Mercado in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. *Photo by Barbara Newhall*

By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Christmas was coming up soon — today — and I needed a Christmassy, Jesusy post. I could string some words together about choirs of angels and a poor baby in a manger, but why not just post some of the photos I’d taken over the years and let them say it all?

I opened up my photo gallery, I clicked on text search, and I searched for Jesus.

Here’s what I found.

A statue of a glorious Christ is flanked by 11 of the apostles atop a grand facade overlooking St. Peter's Square, Rome. Photo by Barbara Newhall — **A man with a view:** At St. Peter’s Square, Rome, a bigger-than-life Jesus stands atop the grand facade of St. Peter’s Basillica flanked by eleven of the apostles . Photo by Barbara Newhall

At an Austin, Texas, gas station, an image of Jesus on the cross gets a fraction of the space awarded a mosaic of his mother Mary, the Virgin of Guadalupe. Photo by Barbara Newhall — **Afterthought:** At an Austin, Texas, gas station, a sketchy image of Jesus on the cross gets a fraction of the space awarded to a mosaic of his mother Mary, represented here as Mexico’s beloved Virgin of Guadalupe. *Photo by Barbara Newhall*

A replica of an image of Jesus found on the the walls of Istanbul's ancient Hagia Sophia gives visitors a close up look at the centuries-old Eastern Orthodoz icon. Photo by Barbara Newhall — **Judge:** A replica of the Deesis mosaic of Jesus as Pantocrator — “ruler of all” — on a wall of Istanbul’s ancient Hagia Sophia gives visitors a close up look at a centuries-old Eastern Orthodox image of a powerful but compassionate Jesus. Photo by Barbara Newhall

John the Baptist baptizes Jesus in this "Baptism of Christ" by Andrea Sansovino (Italian, 1467–1529) and Innocenzo Spinazzi. I photographed the work while it was still on the Battistero di San Giovanni in Florence, Italy. It's now in Florence’s Opera del Duomo Museum. — **In need of baptism:** John the Baptist pours water over Jesus in this “Baptism of Christ” by Sansovino and Spinazzi. At the time of this photograph the work was still at the Battistero di San Giovanni in Florence, Italy. It’s since been moved to Florence’s Opera del Duomo Museum. *Photo by Barbara Newhall*

Large mosaic outside Stanford Memorial Church, Stanford Universitiy, California, depicts Jesus teaching the people. Photo by Barbara Newhall — **Teacher:** Jesus preaches to the people on a huge mosaic over the entrance to Stanford University’s Memorial Church. *Photo by Barbara Newhall*

The Catholic Church no longer considers St. Christopher a saint, yet his image exists aroudn the world, this one on a wall of the church at Atotonilco, Mexico. Photo by Barbara Newhall — **The weight of the world:** The Catholic Church no longer considers St. Christopher a saint, yet images of him carrying the young Jesus show up in churches everywhere, this one as a fresco in the church at Atotonilco, Mexico. *Photos by Barbara Newhall*

Legend has it that Christopher carried the young Jesus -- and the weight of the world -- to safety across a river. Here in a fresco on the Isle of Patmos, Greece. Photo by Barbara Newhall — On the other side of the world, in the monastery on the Isle of Patmos, Greece, the legendary St. Christopher carries the young Jesus — who bears the weight of the world — to safety across the water.

Christ on the cross at the New Mexico History Museum. Photo by Barbara Newhall — **Dying.** New Mexico History Museum, Santa Fe. *Photo by Barbara Newhall*

Merry Christmas, everyone! Wishing you and the world a peace-filled New Year. — Barbara

Comments

Virginia Newhall says

December 25, 2014 at 8:31 am

Thank you, Barbara, for those glorious photos! Even though I’m spiritually wishy-washy, (Sometimes I think Bill Maher’s atheistic rants make sense!) I love religious imagery. A framed painting of Jesus is on my bedroom wall. Looking forward to your soon-to-be released book.

- Barbara Falconer Newhall says
  
  December 29, 2014 at 3:09 pm
  
  Thanks. Spiritually wishy-washy. I like it.

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