The Baptism of Christ in Jordan

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Site: St. Aloysius Chapel, Mangaluru, Karnataka
Survey Date: May 2016
Surveyor Name: Shilpa S Brahmanandan, Sindhu N
Article by: Kritika Sarda (Project Assistant, INTACH)

The composition depicts Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. Jesus is seen kneeling on the shores of the river with his hands on his chest and his arms crossed. While his robes are lying next to him, his right foot is seen immersed in water. John the Baptist in his distinctive robe is seen standing next to Jesus, carrying a wooden stick. A white dove with its widely spread wings is depicted right above Jesus. In addition to this, the painting features a large number of people that are witnessing the baptism. The painting is rendered in multiple hues and shades.

A wall painting panel depicting the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist

A work by Antonio Moscheni, located on the North West wall of St. Aloysius’ chapel is done using the Fresco Buono technique. The baptism of Jesus has been mentioned in the written gospel tradition (books of the New Testament) of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Apart from John the Baptist and the public, the painting evidently portrays the key witnesses to Jesus’ baptism - the Father and the white dove. The act of baptism is culminated with the descent of the holy spirit in the form of a white dove and the heaven’s opening to God’s voice, as per the gospels, “You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased”.

When Jesus insisted John the Baptist to baptize him, John protested by saying it was him who had to be baptized by Jesus. Jesus, however, replied by saying, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness”. By allowing himself to be baptized, Jesus identified himself with the common people and as someone who takes away the sins of the world.

Besides, the baptism was an act of obedience of the son to the father’s will. It is hence said that the trinity- the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit was present during the baptism. It was done out of their love for the sinners that they wished to cleanse.

Today, the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized flows through Israel and the Palestinian territory. It has been polluted by agricultural waste and runoff from nearby communities. The water flow has been reduced owing to the dams that have been constructed on rivers Jordan and Yarmouk (the largest tributary of Jordan River). However, baptisms and the rites of renewal still take place at the site where Jesus’ baptism is commemorated. Pilgrims from around the world visit the place to pay homage.

References:

  1. Damon, W.K. So (2010) The Forgotten Jesus and the Trinity You Never Knew. Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publishers.
  2. Ed. Manlio Simonetti (2014) Matthew 1-13, United Kingdom: InterVarsity Press.
  3. Gero, Stephen 1976, ‘The Spirit as a Dove at the Baptism of Jesus’ Novum Testamentum, Vol 18, no. 1, pp. 17-35.
  4. O’Donnell, John 1989, ‘In Him and Over Him: The Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus’ Gregorianum, Vol. 70, no. 1, pp. 25-45.

Websites:

  1. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/saving-the-jordan-river/
  2. http://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?sid=1210&gid=609&pgid=34198

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 20, 2020 at 10:11 PM

    Amazingly written.. loved reading this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ShreyaSeptember 20, 2020 at 10:13 PM

    Love the part where the Trinity has been mentioned.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AishwaryaSeptember 20, 2020 at 10:29 PM

    Interesting and informative..

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownSeptember 21, 2020 at 12:59 PM

    Very good initiative to preserve its originality and also very informative for those who never came across Christian studies.

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownSeptember 23, 2020 at 10:41 PM

    A very interesting read

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownSeptember 25, 2020 at 2:46 AM

    Very well researched and beautifully written.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJuly 15, 2021 at 12:39 PM


    Thanks for sharing about wall painting.. Your Content is realy informative for us........


    Radha Krishna Wall Painting
    big Wall Painting
    big Wall Painting
    Buddha Wall Painting
    Buddha Wall Painting

    ReplyDelete

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