Artefacts as a Form of Expression in Catholic Christianity (AQA GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note

Paschal candle as an article of resurrection

• The Paschal candle is a large candle, also known as the Easter candle

• It is an important feature of the Easter Vigil

  • This is the first Mass of Easter that celebrates Jesus’s resurrection

  • It is usually held in darkness on the evening before Easter Sunday

• During the Easter Vigil, the priest lights a fire outside the church

  • This symbolises the light of Christ rising from the tomb (his resurrection from the dead)

• The priest blesses and lights the Paschal candle

  • They carry it through the darkened church

  • Light from the Paschal candle is used to light candles that everyone in the church holds

  • This shows that all believers share in the light of the risen Christ, who overcame the darkness of sin and death

• The words the priest uses for the blessing are:

• The Paschal candle is decorated with important Christian symbols

  • The cross of Christ

  • The alpha and omega symbols, which are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet

    • This shows that Christ is at the first and last of everything; he is eternal

  • Five small holders are placed into the Paschal candle

    • Each contains a grain of incense

    • These represent the five wounds Jesus suffered in his hands, feet and side during his crucifixion

• The Paschal candle is marked with the current year and lasts for the whole year

• As well as Masses during the Easter period, it is also used at baptisms and funerals

• At baptism, the family is given a candle lit from the Paschal candle 

  • This symbolises the light of Christ coming into the life of the new Christian

  • The priest says to the parents and godparents:

• At funerals, the Paschal candle is lit to show that the person who has died has joined Christ in eternal life

 Michelangelo’s the Last Judgment

_{Michelangelo, Public domain}

• Michelangelo finished painting the Last Judgment in 1541 on the wall of the Sistine Chapel in Rome

  • It is still there today

• The painting depicts Judgement Day

  • It reflects Christian beliefs on “the four last things” that will happen at this event: death, judgement, heaven and hell

• Michelangelo shows Christ in the centre with the wounds from his crucifixion visible

  • Christ is raising those on his right up to heaven with his right hand

  • Those on his left appear to be descending to a place of darkness, fire and torment

  • This reflects the teaching from the parable of the Sheep and the Goats, where Jesus promised that the good would be on his right and the wicked on the left

• The people closest to Christ are Mary and the saints

  • Some of the saints carry weapons that were used to torture and kill them

  • Their bodies are not damaged, showing that in the resurrection, all will be renewed and that people’s bodies are resurrected, not just their souls

  • They are in heaven, showing the belief that the reward for following Christ is eternal life in heaven

• Everyone in the painting is naked, except Jesus and Mary

  • This shows the belief that all people are equal at the last judgement, regardless of their status in life (later on, an artist was asked to cover up some of the nudity)

• At the foot of the painting, people are rising from their graves

  • This reflects the belief that everyone will be raised up for judgement on the last day

• Seven angels are shown, blowing trumpets

  • These are the angels described in the book of Revelation (chapters 8–10)

  • The sound of the trumpets is the sign that the end of the world is coming and Christ’s judgement is to happen

• One of the angels, the archangel Michael, has a book of names of those who are going to heaven

• The angel next to him has a much larger book with the names of the people who are going to hell

  • This shows Jesus’s teaching that people should do their best to ensure they are in the book of those who are going to be rewarded in heaven

Memorials for the dead

• Memorials are structures to honour and respect those who have died

• Christians believe that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:9) and therefore should be treated with respect, even after death

• Christians use various forms of memorials, including tombstones, monuments and remembrance gardens

 Tombstones

• A tombstone marks the location of the dead, so they are treated with respect

• They are often marked with the person’s name and the dates they lived

• Many contain Bible verses or Christian symbols

  • Some may be shaped in the form of a cross to show the person’s Christian faith and the hope that, as they have joined Christ in death, they will rise with him to eternal life

• The letters RIP are common. This stands for “Requiescat in pace”, which is Latin for “rest in peace”

Monuments

• Monuments are structures built to remember an important person

• In the early Church, some wealthy people were buried in large, decorated coffins called sarcophagi 

  • These had the Chi-Rho symbol on them to show that the person believed in Christ

• Often, monuments contain signs and symbols of Christianity

  • Scenes from the life of Jesus are often used, such as the Sacred Heart or the Good Shepherd

_{Riccardov, Public domain}

Remembrance gardens

• Many Christians today choose to be cremated instead of having a burial

• A remembrance garden is an outdoor space where a person’s ashes can be placed after cremation 

• The Catholic Church did not allow cremation until 1966 because of the belief in the resurrection of the body

  • Cremation is now permitted, but the Catholic Church still requires ashes to be treated with dignity and respect

  • Ashes should be buried in a holy place, not scattered

• Remembrance gardens are beautiful places designed to reflect the peace and beauty of heaven

  • They are quiet and reflective places to allow people to mourn their loved ones in a calm and peaceful way that helps them feel close to the person they lost

  • Trees or shrubs may be planted with simple plaques to indicate the presence of the person

• All forms of memorial are designed to show respect and love for the person who has died, upholding their memory

• They also reflect the Christian hope that the deceased is now at rest with God in heaven for eternity

• A common prayer said when visiting these sites shows this belief: