Ravenna. Ärkebiskopliga museet Elfenbenstronen -
Archiepiscopal Museum, ivory chair

Jesu födelse
The birth of Christ

Josefs dröm med ängelns budskap att han inte skulle förskjuta Maria
The dream of Joseph with the message from the angle not to reject Mary
Josef och Maria på väg till Betlehem
Joseph and Mary on their way to Bethlehem

Vänster: Den nyfödde Jesus
Left: the newborn Christ
Höger: Maria på en tron med Jesus
Right: Mary enthroned with Christ

Detalj: Josef med Jesusbarnet och oxen och åsnan
Detail: Joseph with Christ and the ox and the donkey

Nästa bild handlar om Salome och Maria som den berättas i det apokryfiska Jakobs-evangeliet. Salomes väninna hade berättat att Maria hade fött barn utan blod och utan smärta och att hon förblev jungfru. Detta tvivlade Salome på och därför fick hon tillåtelse att undersöka Maria. När hon hade gjort det förtvinade hennes hand och den återställdes först när handen fick vidröra Jesusbarnet.

Next picture is about Mary and Salome as told in the Protoevangelium of James:
And the midwife
went forth out of the cave, and Salome met her. And she said to her:
Salome, Salome, I have a strange sight to relate to thee: a virgin has
brought forth -- a thing which her nature admits not of. Then said Salome:
As the Lord my God liveth, unless I thrust in my finger, and search the
parts, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth.

20. And the midwife went in, and said to Mary: Show thyself; for no
small controversy has arisen about thee. And Salome put in her finger, and
cried out, and said: Woe is me for mine iniquity and mine unbelief, because
I have tempted the living God; and, behold, my hand is dropping off as if
burned with fire. And she bent her knees before the Lord, saying: O God of
my fathers, remember that I am the seed of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob;
do not make a show of me to the sons of Israel, but restore me to the poor;
for Thou knowest, O Lord, that in Thy name I have performed my services,
and that I have received my reward at Thy hand. And, behold, an angel of
the Lord stood by her, saying to her: Salome, Salome, the Lord hath heard
thee. Put thy hand to the infant, and carry it, and thou wilt have safety
and joy. And Salome went and carried it, saying: I will worship Him,
because a great King has been born to lsrael. And, behold, Salome was
immediately cured, and she went forth out of the cave justified. And behold
a voice saying: Salome, Salome, tell not the strange things thou hast seen,
until the child has come into Jerusalem.

© Lars-Olof Albertson 2005, Foto Sept 2004