The Annunciation - Virtue of Humility
Artwork by Leonardo Davinci
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end."
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail."
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled." Then the angel left her.
The Visitation - Virtue of Fraternal Charity
Artwork by Carl Bloch
The elderly Elizabeth stands at the top of the steps of her house, with arms joyfully spread wide, welcoming the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady, with a faint halo above her head, looks up at her cousin, listening to the divinely inspired greeting: "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!" (Lk. 1:42).
The Nativity - Virtue of Poverty
Artwork by C. Coypel
The Birth of Jesus in the Bethlehem stable. Angels and St. Joseph look in adoration at the luminous Christ child, who is held by his most beautiful Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Presentation - Virtue of Obedience
Artwork by S. Vouet
The Blessed Virgin Mary presents the Infant Jesus to the prophet Simeon in the Temple for a blessing. People gather around, watching, while angels look down from above, holding a scroll with Simeon's words: Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, Now do you dismiss your servant, Lord.
Finding Jesus - Virtue of Jesus & of His Holy Services
Artwork by S. Kress
The twelve-year-old Jesus sits among the Scribes and Pharisees at the Temple in Jerusalem.