The Good Shepherd

A painting of Jesus as the Good Shepherd on the ceiling of St. Michael's Cathedral. The early Christians especially favored the Good Shepherd image.

O Lord, show Your mercy to me and gladden my heart. I am like the man on the way to Jericho who was overtaken by robbers, wounded and left for dead. O Good Samaritan, come to my aid. I am like the sheep that went astray. O Good Shepherd, seek me out and bring me home in accord with Your will. Let me dwell in Your house all the days of my life and praise You for ever and ever with those who are there.  

              – St. Jerome

Fair as the Moon

A panel of the painted ceiling of St. Michael's Cathedral.

Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?

Why aren't you in the Legion of Mary anyway?  

Come on. You know you wanna.

Griffin

A panel of the painted ceiling of St. Michael's Cathedral depicting a griffin.

The griffin which is both lion and eagle is, among other things, a symbol of the hypostatic union. 

Christ: fully human, fully divine.

The Rose of Charity

A rose adorns the area above the crown molding in St. John's Chapel at St. Michael's Cathedral.

Thou art the box of holy perfumes, O Mary, gathered by the heavenly Perfumer, delightfully blooming with the beautiful flowers of every virtue, among which three are excellent above all, the violet of humility, the lily of chastity, and the rose of charity.                                           – St. Bernard

The Divine Lamb

A panel of the painted ceiling of St. Michael's Cathedral depicting a lamb atop a book. Christ is the Word and the Lamb.

To prepare oneself constantly for martyrdom, and accept it without a shadow of reluctance, like the Divine Lamb - in Jesus, through Jesus, for Jesus - I must try and live as if I were to die a martyr today.  Every minute I must imagine I am going to be martyred this very evening.

               - Blessed Charles de Foucauld

Light of Christ

A candle on the painted ceiling of St. Michael's Cathedral.

Lumen Christi gloriose resurgentis

Dissipet tenebras cordis et mentis.

The Cross Exemplifies Every Virtue

A panel of the painted ceiling of St. Michael's Cathedral.

...the passion of Christ completely suffices to fashion our lives. Whoever wishes to live perfectly should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the cross and desire what he desired, for the cross exemplifies every virtue.              – St. Thomas Aquinas

Light of the World

Panel of the painted ceiling in the nave of St. Michael's Cathedral depicting a burning oil lamp.

…I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life. – John 8:12

Papal Insignia

Ceiling Panel in Nave

This panel of the Cathedral's beautifully painted ceiling depicts the Papal Tiara and the crossed keys (Matthew 16:18-19) which appear together on the Holy See Coat of Arms and on the flag of Vatican City.  These are symbols of the papacy and are thus a call to Christian unity under the legitimate authority of the Successor of St. Peter.

Pray for Pope Benedict XVI.  They don't call him "The Pope of Christian Unity" for nothing. It can be done.