Unità documentaria 0483 - Paupertas, Castitas, Oboedientia - Anno XXV

ii

The pale coloured image depicts a white cross and beneath one finds the Missal or Bible open wide with the words - Poverty, Chastity and Obedience - the three vows taken by every Catholic religious. On the left of this book, one finds a bouquet of flowers and on the right a lit oil-lamp. Interesting to note is the anchor and rope thrown over the Cross. The anchor, because of the great importance in navigation, was regarded in ancient times as a symbol of safety. Thus Christians adopted the anchor as a symbol of hope in future existence. In fact, on the right hand of the Cross on this image there is written 'Spes Unica' - only hope. The Epistle to the Hebrews (6:19-20) for the first time connects the idea of hope with the symbol of the anchor. The anchor as a Christian symbol,relates only to the hope of salvation. It ranks among the most ancient of Christian symbols. Overleaf, one finds the commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary by the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Jesus of Nazareth of the perpetual profession by its first Superior General. Beneath this, one finds some axioms from the works of St Theresa of the Child Jesus and St John of the Cross.

• latino
• maltese