https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/saints/st-jude https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-jude.jpg St. Jude Thaddeus — Patron of Hopeless Causes St. Jude holds up the image of Christ that hangs at his breast — the likeness tradition says he carried to King Abgar of Edessa. In his other hand is the club of his martyrdom. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-jude-lateran.jpg St. Jude Thaddeus — Patron of Hopeless Causes The Apostle among the Twelve in the nave of St. John Lateran in Rome, holding the halberd by which tradition says he died. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-jude-sandukht-prison.jpg St. Jude Thaddeus — Patron of Hopeless Causes Bound in the prison of King Sanatruk with St. Sandukht, the king's own daughter, who was converted by his preaching and martyred before him. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-jude-shrine-baltimore.jpg St. Jude Thaddeus — Patron of Hopeless Causes The shrine altar in Baltimore, where the Novena to St. Jude has been prayed since the outset of the Second World War. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/saints/st-michael https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/reni-st-michael.jpg St. Michael the Archangel — Prince of the Heavenly Host Guido Reni, 1635. The serene warrior-angel treads upon the devil — the model for countless devotional cards. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/st-michael-archangel-devotional.jpg St. Michael the Archangel — Prince of the Heavenly Host St. Michael the Archangel, Prince of the heavenly host — a contemporary devotional image. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/saints/blessed-virgin-mary https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/lorenzetti-madonna-child.jpg The Blessed Virgin Mary — Mother of God, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary The Mother and her Son — the heart of every mystery of the Rosary. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/saints/st-joseph https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/st-joseph.jpg St. Joseph — Patron of the Universal Church, Terror of Demons The guardian of the Redeemer, with the Child entrusted to his care. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/saints/st-peter https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/caravaggio-crucifixion-st-peter.jpg St. Peter — Prince of the Apostles, First Pope Caravaggio, 1601. Peter asked to be crucified head downward, unworthy to die as his Master had. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/el-greco-tears-of-st-peter.jpg St. Peter — Prince of the Apostles, First Pope The tears of Peter — after the denial, and before the forgiveness. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/saints/st-andrew https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-andrew.jpg St. Andrew — The First-Called, Brother of St. Peter St. Andrew the Apostle — a nineteenth-century Bulgarian icon by Yoan of Gabrovo. He holds the scroll of his preaching and raises his hand in blessing; the East calls him simply Protokletos, the First-Called. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-andrew-calling-caravaggio.jpg St. Andrew — The First-Called, Brother of St. Peter Caravaggio, The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew, 1603–1606 (Royal Collection, Hampton Court Palace). The two brothers are shown as what they were — working men with the day's catch still in hand — at the moment they are asked to leave it. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-andrew-calling-ghirlandaio.jpg St. Andrew — The First-Called, Brother of St. Peter Domenico Ghirlandaio, The Calling of the Apostles, 1481 — one of the original wall frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. Peter and Andrew kneel together on the shore; behind them their boat is still on the water. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-andrew-martyrdom-menologion.jpg St. Andrew — The First-Called, Brother of St. Peter The martyrdom of St. Andrew, from the Menologion of Basil II, c. AD 1000 (Vatican Library). Note the shape: the earliest accounts have him bound — not nailed — to an ordinary cross. The familiar X-shaped saltire came later. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-andrew-lateran.jpg St. Andrew — The First-Called, Brother of St. Peter Camillo Rusconi, 1713–1715 — St. Andrew among the Twelve in the nave of St. John Lateran, Rome, leaning on the great saltire that has been his emblem since the later Middle Ages. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/leonardo-last-supper.jpg St. Andrew — The First-Called, Brother of St. Peter Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, 1495–1498. Andrew is the third figure from the left, both palms raised in astonishment at the words “one of you shall betray me.” https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-andrew-fishing-for-souls.jpg St. Andrew — The First-Called, Brother of St. Peter Adriaen van de Venne, Fishing for Souls, 1614 (Rijksmuseum). A vast allegory on the promise made to Andrew and his brother — “I will make you fishers of men.” https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/saints/st-francis-of-assisi https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/assisi-st-francis-basilica.jpg St. Francis of Assisi — The Little Poor Man, Founder of the Friars Minor The basilica at Assisi, raised over his tomb. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/saints/st-therese-of-lisieux https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-therese-statue.jpg St. Thérèse of Lisieux — The Little Flower, Doctor of the Church St. Thérèse in Carmel — she promised to let fall a shower of roses. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-therese-reliquary-lisieux.jpg St. Thérèse of Lisieux — The Little Flower, Doctor of the Church Her reliquary at Lisieux. The relics have travelled to more than sixty countries — the little way, still going out to the world. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-therese-relic.jpg St. Thérèse of Lisieux — The Little Flower, Doctor of the Church A first-class relic — “ex carne S. Theresiæ a Jesu Infante,” from the flesh of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/saints/st-therese-statue-chapel.jpg St. Thérèse of Lisieux — The Little Flower, Doctor of the Church A chapel statue set beneath an Ecce Homo — the Little Flower keeping company with the Passion she offered herself to. https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/mysteries/joyful https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/joyful.jpg The Joyful Mysteries The Annunciation — Fra Angelico, c. 1426 (Museo del Prado) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/mysteries/sorrowful https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/sorrowful.jpg The Sorrowful Mysteries Christ Crucified — Diego Velázquez, c. 1632 (Museo del Prado) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/mysteries/glorious https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/glorious.jpg The Glorious Mysteries The Resurrection — Piero della Francesca, c. 1465 (Sansepolcro) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/mysteries/luminous https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/luminous.jpg The Luminous Mysteries The Baptism of Christ — Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1475 (Uffizi) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/sacred-art https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/reni-st-michael.jpg The Archangel Michael Defeating Satan Reni’s serene warrior-angel treads upon the devil, sword raised — the most beloved image of St. Michael, and the model for countless devotional cards. (Guido Reni, 1635 — Santa Maria della Concezione, Rome) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/st-michael-archangel-devotional.jpg St. Michael the Archangel A modern depiction of the Prince of the heavenly host in shining armor, sword and cross-shield in hand, radiant against the storm — “Who is like God?” (Contemporary devotional artwork) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/leonardo-last-supper.jpg The Last Supper Leonardo’s mural of the moment Christ institutes the Eucharist — the Fifth Luminous Mystery — capturing the Apostles’ shock at “one of you will betray me.” (Leonardo da Vinci, 1495–1498 — Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/raphael-transfiguration.jpg The Transfiguration Raphael’s final masterpiece shows Christ transfigured in glory above Mount Tabor — the Fourth Luminous Mystery — while below the Apostles struggle with a possessed boy. (Raphael, 1516–1520 — Vatican Pinacoteca) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/velazquez-christ-crucified.jpg Christ Crucified Velázquez’s quiet, solitary Crucifixion — the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery — dignified against a dark ground, the Lord’s face half-veiled by His hair. (Diego Velázquez, c. 1632 — Museo del Prado, Madrid) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/cimabue-crucifixion.jpg The Crucifixion Cimabue’s great fresco of the Crucifixion, the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery. Time reversed its white lead to dark, giving the ghostly, photographic-negative effect seen today. (Cimabue, c. 1280s — Upper Basilica of St. Francis, Assisi) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/el-greco-adoration-shepherds.jpg The Adoration of the Shepherds El Greco’s luminous night of the Nativity — the Third Joyful Mystery — where all light streams from the newborn Christ. (El Greco, c. 1612–1614 — Museo del Prado, Madrid) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/lorenzetti-entry-jerusalem.jpg Entry into Jerusalem Lorenzetti’s fresco of Christ entering Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna,” the threshold of Holy Week and His Passion. (Pietro Lorenzetti, c. 1320 — Lower Basilica of St. Francis, Assisi) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/lorenzetti-madonna-child.jpg Madonna and Child (Madonna dei Tramonti) A tender fresco of Our Lady and the Christ Child gazing at one another — the “Madonna of the Sunsets,” named for the evening light that reaches it. (Pietro Lorenzetti, c. 1320 — Lower Basilica of St. Francis, Assisi) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/el-greco-tears-of-st-peter.jpg The Tears of St. Peter El Greco’s penitent Peter weeps after denying Christ — the first great painting of this subject, an image of sorrow turned to hope. (El Greco, c. 1587–1596) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/caravaggio-crucifixion-st-peter.jpg The Crucifixion of St. Peter Caravaggio’s stark, torch-lit martyrdom of St. Peter, crucified head-downward at his own request, unworthy to die as his Lord did. (Caravaggio, 1601 — Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/van-dyck-ambrose-theodosius.jpg St. Ambrose barring Theodosius St. Ambrose of Milan bars the Emperor Theodosius from the cathedral until he repents of a massacre — the Church calling even emperors to penance. (Anthony van Dyck, c. 1619–1620 — National Gallery, London) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/raphael-disputation-holy-sacrament.jpg Disputation of the Holy Sacrament (La Disputa) Raphael’s fresco unites the Church of heaven and earth in adoration of the Eucharist enthroned upon the altar — a vision of the whole communion of saints. (Raphael, 1509–1510 — Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/murillo-immaculate-conception.jpg The Immaculate Conception Murillo’s Virgin, robed in white and blue and borne up by cherubs, preserved from sin from the first moment of her being. (Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, c. 1678 — Museo del Prado, Madrid) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/panini-santa-maria-maggiore.jpg The Piazza and Church of Santa Maria Maggiore Panini’s view of the great Roman Marian basilica and its bustling piazza, a record of the church as pilgrims of the age would have seen it. (Giovanni Paolo Panini, 18th century) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/masolino-founding-santa-maria-maggiore.jpg The Founding of Santa Maria Maggiore (Miracle of the Snow) The legend of the basilica’s founding: Our Lady sent a summer snowfall to trace the ground plan of the church that would honor her in Rome. (Masolino da Panicale, c. 1428) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/deesis-christ-pantocrator.jpg Christ Pantocrator (the Deësis Mosaic) One of the supreme achievements of Byzantine mosaic: Christ the Teacher and Judge, raising His hand in blessing. Made when Hagia Sophia was still a Christian cathedral. (c. 1261 — Hagia Sophia, Constantinople (Istanbul)) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/churches https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/st-john-lateran-nave.jpg Archbasilica of St. John Lateran — The Nave The Catholic cathedral of Rome and seat of the Pope as Bishop of Rome — “the mother and head of all churches in the city and the world.” Consecrated in the 4th century under Constantine; the colossal statues of the Apostles line the nave. (Rome, Italy) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/st-john-lateran-cathedra.jpg The Papal Cathedra of St. John Lateran The papal throne (cathedra) in the apse of the Catholic cathedral of Rome. Because this church — not St. Peter’s — holds the Pope’s cathedra, it ranks first among the four papal major basilicas. (Rome, Italy) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/st-john-lateran-interior.jpg St. John Lateran — Interior A view within the Catholic Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, the oldest public church in the West. (Rome, Italy) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/assisi-st-francis-exterior.jpg Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi The Catholic mother church of the Franciscan Order, begun in 1228, two years after the death of St. Francis, and built over his tomb. Its walls hold the great fresco cycles of Giotto, Cimabue, and the Lorenzetti. (Assisi, Italy) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/assisi-st-francis-basilica.jpg Basilica of St. Francis — The Friary Cloister The arcaded cloister of the Sacro Convento, the Franciscan friary attached to the Catholic Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi — a place of quiet for the friars who keep the saint’s shrine. (Assisi, Italy) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/chartres-stained-glass.jpg Chartres Cathedral — Stained Glass The Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, built c. 1194–1220, famed for the deepest surviving medieval “Chartres blue” glass. It has been a Marian pilgrimage site for over eight centuries. (Chartres, France) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/chartres-choir.jpg Chartres Cathedral — The Choir The soaring Gothic choir of the Catholic cathedral of Chartres, a masterwork of High Gothic architecture dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Chartres, France) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/chartres-exterior.jpg Chartres Cathedral — Exterior The mismatched spires of the Catholic cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres rise above the wheat plains of the Beauce, a landmark of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages. (Chartres, France) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/milan-cathedral-altar.jpg Milan Cathedral — Chancel and Altar The high altar of the Catholic Duomo di Milano, dedicated to the Nativity of St. Mary. Begun in 1386 and centuries in the building, it is one of the largest churches in the world. (Milan, Italy) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/santa-maria-maggiore-interior.jpg Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore — Interior The greatest of Rome’s Marian churches and a papal major basilica, founded in the 5th century after the Council of Ephesus proclaimed Mary as Mother of God. Its nave keeps 5th-century mosaics. (Rome, Italy) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/notre-dame-paris.jpg Notre-Dame de Paris The Catholic cathedral of Paris, built 1163–1345 on the Île de la Cité and dedicated to Our Lady. Damaged by fire in 2019 and lovingly restored, it reopened for worship in 2024. (Paris, France) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/st-peters-baldachin.jpg St. Peter’s Basilica — Bernini’s Baldachin Bernini’s towering bronze baldachin (1623–1634) rises over the high altar of the Catholic Basilica of St. Peter, directly above the tomb of the Apostle Peter. (Vatican City) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/st-peters-tomb.jpg The Tomb of St. Peter — Vatican Grottoes Beneath the papal altar of St. Peter’s Basilica lie the Vatican Grottoes and the traditional burial place of St. Peter, the first Pope, martyred in Rome around A.D. 64. (Vatican City) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/notre-dame-montreal-sanctuary.jpg Notre-Dame Basilica — The Sanctuary The blue-and-gold sanctuary of the Catholic Notre-Dame Basilica, built 1824–1829 in Gothic Revival style. Its vault of deep azure scattered with gold stars is among the most beautiful in North America. (Montréal, Canada) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/notre-dame-montreal-vault.jpg Notre-Dame Basilica — Vault and Pulpit The starry vault and intricately carved pulpit of the Catholic Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal, hand-carved from wood and richly gilded. (Montréal, Canada) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/notre-dame-montreal-altar.jpg Notre-Dame Basilica — The High Altar The high altar of Notre-Dame Basilica, its frontal carved with the Last Supper — the very scene of the Fifth Luminous Mystery, the Institution of the Eucharist. (Montréal, Canada) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/notre-dame-montreal-organ.jpg Notre-Dame Basilica — The Casavant Organ The great Casavant Frères organ of Notre-Dame Basilica soars beneath the starry vault, its silver pipes framing the rose window — a voice for the prayer of a great Catholic church. (Montréal, Canada) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/notre-dame-montreal-history-window.jpg Notre-Dame Basilica — A Window of Its History A stained-glass window of Notre-Dame Basilica recording its own story — the construction of the church (1829) and its later consecration — a rarity depicting local Catholic history rather than Scripture alone. (Montréal, Canada) https://badolatofamilyrosary.com/art/chapelle-sacre-coeur-montreal.jpg Chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Cœur The all-wood “wedding chapel” behind Notre-Dame Basilica, rebuilt after a 1978 fire. Its warm carved galleries rise to a great bronze altarpiece, the Via Lucis (Way of Light) by Charles Daudelin. (Montréal, Canada)