Article
A depiction in art of the ancestors of Jesus shown as a tree which begins with Jesse of Bethlehem, the father of King David. It may web be the orginal use of a tree to depict a genealogy. It originates in a passage in the Book of Isaiah which describes metaphorically the descent of the Messiah, and refers to Jesus. The subject is often seen in Christian art, particularly in that of the Medieval period.
The tradition today has become a domestic devotion with families, youth groups and schools constructing and decorating Jesse trees during December, functioning as catechetical devices and creating family traditions. The tradtional themes for each day are
- 1 December
- Creation
- 2 December
- Adam and Eve
- 3 December
- Fall of Man
- 4 December
- Noah
- 5 December
- Abraham
- 6 December
- Isaac
- 7 December
- Jacob
- 8 December
- Joseph
- 9 December
- Moses
- 10 December
- Samuel
- 11 December
- Jesse
- 12 December
- King David
- 13 December
- King Solomon
- 14 December
- Saint Joseph
- 15 December
- Mary
- 16 December
- Saint John the Baptist
- 17 December
- Jesus is Wisdom
- 18 December
- Jesus is Lord
- 19 December
- Jesus is the Flower of Jesse
- 20 December
- Jesus is the Key of David
- 21 December
- Jesus is the Radiant Dawn
- 22 December
- Jesus is King of the Gentiles
- 23 December
- Jesus is Emmanuel
- 24 December
- Jesus is the Light of the World
MLA Citation
- “Jesse tree”. New Catholic Dictionary. Saints.SQPN.com. 28 November 2010. Web. {today’s date}. <http://saints.sqpn.com/jesse-tree/>