Free stock photos of Catholic subjects.
This precious reliquary, adorned on its front and sides with colored glass, precious stones, and two medallions featuring the enthroned Virgin and Child and an eagle, forms part of a group of closely related objects manufactured in the Upper Rhine region shortly after 1300. The purse shape, with its
Figures leading livestock descend the winding rocky landscape in the background while in the foreground, a crowd gathers before the Holy Family. The traveling figures compose the majority of this plaque, communicating the haste and urgency on their journey to see Christ. Above the Holy Family, a rus
This reliquary bust was probably made to house a relic of Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse (1274–97), second son of Charles II of Anjou, King of Naples (1288–1309). Renowned for his works of charity, he was made bishop in 1297 and died shortly after at the age of 23. He was canonized in 1317, and his
The figure shows the sleeping Jesse, the father of David from the Old Testament. As the ancestor of the family tree of Christ, he was depicted in the Middle Ages sleeping as the starting point of the tree, on whose branches the ancestors of Christ are depicted. Mary with the Christ child is always s
This pendant was made in the Rhine-Meuse region—now in modern Belgium—renowned for the production of fine metalwork objects, especially enamels. An enamel plaque depicting the enthroned Virgin and Christ child dominates the pendant. Four peripheral enamels depict angelic figures representing virtues
This half-length Madonna represents one of the finest of about 40 surviving variants, all of which display many characteristics of the Florentine bronze sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti. These features include serene facial types with narrow eyes and thin eyebrows, the careful arrangement of the Madonna an
The motif shown here depicts the Virgin Mary and the angel Gabriel in a repeating sequence. Both figures kneel above a bed of flowers while a dove representing the Holy Ghost hovers above. The ground of this luxury silk, woven with highlights of gold thread, is now a faded blue. Its original purpose
These monumental stone heads are among the substantial known remains of the sculptural program of Thérouanne’s cathedral, which was razed by Emperor Charles V of Spain in June 1553. These heads were found in a wall of rue Ste. Croix in the town of Saint Omer (a short distance to the north) in Januar
This relief once framed a tabernacle—a receptacle above and behind an altar for the safekeeping of the Eucharist. The inscription over the doorway, LOCHVS SANCTVS (Holy Place), and below, LAVS DEO (Praise God), confirm the relief’s intended purpose. Originally, a door at center, perhaps in gilt bron
Designed to facilitate the display and veneration of ten relics, this sumptuous ostensorium (from the Latin ostendere, meaning "to show") is one of the most unusual reliquaries in the Guelph Treasure. Elements of contemporary Gothic architecture in miniature frame an elaborately decorated liturgical
The striking impression of this figure is the vivid representation of suffering. The sculpture captures the moment after Christ’s death: the drooping head on a frail neck is a mask of agony. The eyes are nearly shut, the mouth is ajar, and the forehead crowned by heavy, gouging thorns is drawn with
The word vesperbild is the German word for pietà, the image of the Virgin Mary cradling her dead son on her lap. The theme has no literary source; it originated in Germany during the early 1300s and was more widespread in central Europe than in Italy. These devotional sculptures were used within the
Inscribed on the base are the words ECCE AGNUS DEI (Behold the Lamb of God). Multscher was a prominent and successful sculptor from the Bavaria region who operated a large and prolific workshop with as many as 16 assistants. He worked in many materials and his work reflects a deep knowledge of Flemi
Plaquettes emerged during the Renaissance in connection with the revival of interest in ancient Greek and Roman coins and medallions. This small-scale devotional image provided a personal and private connection between the owner and the religious figures. The two small holes suggest that it may have
Taken at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
U.S. Navy Cmdr. Daniel Fullerton, chaplain of the USS America, places ashes on a sailor's forehead during a Roman Catholic Ash Wednesday service aboard the USS Green Bay in the Philippine Sea on February 14, 2024. Chaplain Fullerton came aboard from the USS America to give Marines of the 31st Marine
U.S. Air Force chaplain Maj. Mitchell Zygadlo, the 501st Combat Support Wing's Roman Catholic chaplain, prays with his rosary inside the chapel at RAF Alconbury, United Kingdom, on December 8, 2015. Zygadlo, who grew up in Poland, said his faith had always been a strong cornerstone of his spiritual
Cadets from 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp were given the opportunity to attend religious field services between phases of their Field Training Exercise at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on August 4, 2023. This service was led by retired Col. Richard Spencer, a bishop of the Military Archdiocese, which supports
Luis Antonio Gokim Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, speaks to family and friends during Mass at the Airman-Marine Memorial Chapel on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, on June 4, 2019. The eminent Archbishop of Manila visited MCAS Miramar to spread wisdom and to hold Mass for all to
Tilman Riemenschneider, one of the most important German sculptors of the late Middle Ages, created a highly original version of the Annunciation in this carved figure. The angel Gabriel, whose drapery billows out as he flies down, is dynamic and full of vitality, contrasting with the Virgin's subdu
This porcelain plate, painted over the glaze in black and gold, depicts the Resurrection of Christ, with an angel seated on his tomb and soldiers asleep in the foreground. It was made between 1740 and 1760, with a decorative band around the rim.
This silver plaquette depicts the Resurrection of Christ, with three soldiers sleeping in the foreground and an archer looking up in alarm behind them. It was made in 1605 by the Dutch goldsmith Paulus van Vianen, renowned for his refined figurative relief work.
The ornamental frame of this domestic altar, richly decorated with grotesques, garlands, satyrs and putti, is based on prints by the Antwerp sculptor Cornelis Floris. Its style is a distinctive south Netherlandish variant of Italian Renaissance ornament, dating from around 1550.
This altarpiece was made in the then modern Renaissance style, using the modern material of tin-glazed earthenware. Its inscription records that it was commissioned in 1502 by Sister Catherine, daughter of Tomaso di Salvestro, for the church of Sant'Antonio Abate in Cortona, Italy.
