The St. John's Bible- Loaves and Fishes

 Loaves and Fishes, 2002

Mark 6:30-44, 8:1-10

Donald Jackson

Scribe: Donald Jackson

Vellum, with ink paint and gold

"The apostle Mark narrates twice 

the story of Christ providing food 

for multitudes of people.

This illuminations accompanies the first one, 

in which Christ miraculously multiplied

 five loaves and two fishes to feed five thousand people, 

with twelve baskets of leftovers. 

Traditions locates this event at Tabgha,

 on the west side of the Sea of Galilee.

Photo- C. Denninger

This is the church in Tabgha 

that has an ancient mosaic of the 

fish and loaves from a 4th century church

 restored in the current church.

This illumination focuses on the abundant 

proliferation of food for the body, 

which foreshadows the Eucharistic gifts

 of food for the soul. 

The circular loaves, marked with a cross,

 prefigure the bread of the Eucharist (Communion). 

The stamped image of fish derive 

from a mosaic in Tabgha.

 The baskets (shown partially)

 have geometric designs based on

 ancient Native american Anasazi basketry."

 This connects to the American impact 

of images for this Bible.

"The baskets symbolize the multiplying effect

 of any act of love, such as sharing. 

Hence, the design spreads out

 toward all the margins, 

interrupted only by unkind acts (dark brown) 

and instances in which we could have acted 

with love and kindness but did not (white spaces).