The Basilica of San Zeno in Verona is one of the masterpieces of Lombard Romanesque. Its portal, composed of 73 bronze tiles, tells a story of faith and sacred art.

The Basilica of San Zeno is located in the homonymous district of Verona, which, until 1300, lay outside the city walls, where a large Roman necropolis once stood. Here he was buried in 371 AD, Zeno, or Zenone, the eighth bishop of Verona, venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. The entire neighbourhood developed around the church dedicated to him, which, over the centuries, was rebuilt and remodelled several times until it reached the current building, which stands on the site of at least five different places of worship. The Basilica, as we know it, with the necessary alterations and restorations due to earthquakes, fires, barbarian invasions and other calamities, dates back to the end of the 11th century and the beginning of the 12th, and retains its medieval structure and Romanesque style. Architectural elements from previous buildings are also still visible, such as the 10th-century crypt and sections of walls. The large portal lined with bronze tiles of different sizes and styles is one of a kind.

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San Zeno cross 12.5 cm to hang

The design of the cross of San Zeno comes from one of the tiles of the famous portal of the Basilica of San Zeno in Verona, Italy.

The Basilica

In general, the church of San Zenone represents one of the most harmonious and shining examples of Lombard-Padan Romanesque. In contrast, the portal panels, which depict stories from the New Testament and the hagiography of San Zeno, are more recent and belong to Lombard Gothic. This artistic and architectural current took place in the second half of the thirteenth century in Lombardy, particularly in Milan.

From an architectural point of view, Lombard Romanesque is particularly indebted to European tradition, which included imposing cathedrals, usually developed in three naves defined by mighty pillars and structured on three levels: the main one, the presbytery that houses the altar and is raised, and the crypt, buried and intended to house tombs and relics. The greatness and sense of solidity of these buildings were fundamental because they expressed their role not only architecturally but also symbolically. This is also the case for the Basilica of San Zeno, which has three large apses: a larger one corresponding to the central nave and a smaller one on the left, both visible from the outside. The one on the right is not visible externally because the buildings to the right incorporate it.

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Altar cross set St Zeno with base 2 candle holders

Saint Zeno cross altar set with base and 2 candle holders.Altar cross set consisting of two bronze San Zeno candle holders

The large central rose window, known as the “Wheel of Fortune”, is another typical element of European Romanesque. Created by Brioloto de Balneo, a local sculptor and architect, it owes its name to the six statues that decorate it and depict the phases of human life. In ancient times, a bas-relief depicting the Last Judgment was displayed on the tympanum above the rose window.

The façade of the Basilica of San Zeno in Verona recalls the division of the interior into three parts. The two outer sections corresponding to the minor naves are in tuff; the rest of the façade and the outer walls are in stone, decorated with numerous friezes and bas-reliefs. The entrance is characterised by a small cusp-shaped portico that protects the portal and is decorated with high-relief figures of both sacred and profane character. The large portal is famous. It consists of wooden doors to which 73 bronze tiles, of various sizes and without apparent symmetry, have been fixed over the centuries with iron nails.

The current bell tower stands on the remains of the previous one and dates back to the early 11th century. It is located on a high rectangular plinth formed from stone blocks.

The altarpiece of San Zeno

Among the many works of art in the Basilica of San Zeno is the Altarpiece of San Zeno, a tempera-on-panel painting by Andrea Mantegna, executed between 1456 and 1459. The panel is located on the main altar and consists of three panels. It depicts the Madonna and Child surrounded by angels, musicians, and singers (central panel) and eight saints (four on each side panel) engaged in a sacred conversation. The saints are: Saint Peter, with venerable air and keys; Saint Paul, with his sword in his hand; Saint John the Evangelist, depicted as a young man; Saint Zeno, dressed as a bishop; Saint Benedict, painted as a monk; Saint Lawrence, with the signs of martyrdom; Saint Gregory the Great, dressed as a pope; Saint John the Baptist, dressed as a hermit. The work is a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance.

The panels of the portal of the Basilica of San Zeno on Holyart

The San Zeno tiles were made, as we have mentioned, at different times and by various masters of Italian landscape art. Some of the tiles date back to an earlier 11th-century portal and are heavily influenced by German art of the time. They are called “tiles of the First Master“. When the Basilica was built in 1138 with the structure we still know today, the door was enlarged, and the need for new tiles was born. The Second Master’s tiles (although they are likely the result of teamwork) occupy the right door and are inspired by stories from the Old Testament. According to some scholars, there was then a Third Master, who worked on the tiles of the right wing between the end of the twelfth and the beginning of the thirteenth century, inserting scenes from the life of Saint Zeno. Over time, the tiles have been moved, replaced, and coloured according to prevailing tastes and the various interventions on the facade of the Basilica.

A prestigious foundry in Verona, starting from the San Zeno tiles, has created three models exclusively for our store. Find these original tiles only in our online store. The tiles are made of bronze, equipped with a hook to hang them, each measures 7×7 cm, and their colour varies from golden to dark petroleum green. They depict, respectively: the Birth of Jesus with the Shepherds and the Magi; the Flight into Egypt; the Annunciation of Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.

Tile St Zeno Verona Nativity Shepherds Magi bronze hook
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Tile Saint Zeno Verona Flight into Egypt bronze hook
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Tile panel Annunciation St Zeno Verona bronze hook
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Saint Florian of Lorch is a much-loved saint in Austria and the neighbouring regions. The protector of firefighters, in life he was a Roman veteran who converted to Christianity.

The liturgical memorial of Saint Florian of Lorch is celebrated on 4th May. He is a very popular saint in Austria, his homeland, but also in neighbouring regions such as Bavaria, the Triveneto in Italy, and Poland. In 1183, Bishop Eusebius of Modena brought some of his relics to Poland, entrusting them to Casimir II, who commissioned the construction of a magnificent church dedicated to him in Kraków.

Saint Florian is invoked to ward off fires and floods, and he is the patron saint of firefighters.

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Saint Florian of Lorch

A wooden statue of Saint Florian, here depicted with a jug of water.

Who was Saint Florian?

Mentioned in a deed of gift from the 8th century AD, what we know about Saint Florian is primarily due to a passio, the Passio Sancti Floriani. This account shares many aspects with that of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Sirmium, who, like him, was martyred in 304 under the Emperor Diocletian.

It states that Florian lived in Mantem, near Krems, in Noricum Ripense—a region south of the Danube corresponding to modern-day Upper Austria. There he served as princeps officii (head of the provincial governor’s office) of Cetia, today Kirchdorf an der Krems, defending the northern borders and commanding a military squad trained to extinguish fires. Highly esteemed by all, Florian secretly practised the Christian religion without the knowledge of his fellow soldiers or superiors.

One day, while on duty in what is now Sankt Pölten, news reached him that forty Christians had been arrested in Lauriacum (now Lorch) by order of the governor Aquilinus, who ruled the region on behalf of Emperor Diocletian, the great persecutor of Christians.

Determined to do everything in his power to alleviate, if not prevent, the imprisonment of those men with whom he shared his faith, he set out for Lorch. However, before he could reach the city, he was intercepted by a platoon of Roman soldiers. He confessed his Christianity to them and was subsequently arrested and hauled before Governor Aquilinus.

Aquilinus initially tried to convince him to offer sacrifices to the pagan gods, as he knew the reputation of the brave veteran and did not wish to condemn him. However, Florian refused any attempt at mediation, and eventually, Aquilinus had him scourged and sentenced to death. Led to the River Anesius (Enns), Saint Florian was thrown into the water with a millstone tied around his neck. It was the 4th of May, 304 AD.

Florian died, and his body was recovered by a devout woman named Valeria and some of the faithful, and then buried. The site of his burial, over which the Bishops of Passau would later commission the great St. Florian’s Priory—one of the most famous monuments of the Austrian Baroque—immediately became a centre of devotion and worship.

Iconography of Saint Florian

Saint Florian is often depicted with a millstone, the symbol of his martyrdom, and the martyr’s palm. He is also shown with a shield, sword, helmet, and banner to recall his life as a soldier.

In many Bavarian villages, as well as in Austria, one can find depictions of Saint Florian holding a bucket or a pitcher of water while extinguishing a fire. In many Austrian rural homes, it was once common to come across the inscription: “O Holy Florian, spare my house.”

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Saint Florian canvas print 25×20 cm

This traditional image from Fratelli Bonella’s archives is given a sense of spirituality by the artistic effect of canvas.

The Cult of Saint Florian in Northern Italy and Austria

Because of his death in the river, Florian is considered the patron saint of flood victims and is therefore invoked during floods. His cult spread immediately after his death throughout his homeland, modern-day Austria, and neighbouring regions like Bavaria. Here, in particular, he is also regarded as the saint to invoke in the event of a fire because, according to legend, while passing through this region, Florian extinguished a terrible fire with a single bucket of water or a simple prayer. Another legend tells of two charcoal burners caught in a fire who were saved by invoking his name. He is also considered the defender of bridges.

Saint Florian is also a co-patron of Jesi, in the Marche region of Italy, which dedicates a grand festival and a famous Palio to him on 4th May. In ancient times, Saint Florian was the patron of the Respublica Aesina, formed by the Castles of Jesi. In Jesi, however, Saint Florian the Roman centurion is sometimes conflated with a namesake shepherd boy born in Cingoli who, challenged to a race by the Devil, opened the Gola della Rossa by making the sign of the cross and arrived first.

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St. Florian with angel resin statue 30 cm

The item is made of resin, a material that allows for a higher definition of lines and details.

As mentioned, when part of Saint Florian’s relics were sent to Poland, this region also began to honour the saint with special devotion, eventually making him its patron. In Kraków, the entire university district is dedicated to the Saint’s memory, and in the basilica built by the Duke in his honour, Father Karol Wojtyła—the future Pope John Paul II—lived and worked as a curate.

In 2026, the feast of Saint Francis will coincide with the Eighth Centenary of the Saint of Assisi. On this occasion, it will once again be recognised as an Italian National Holiday.

4 October, in Italy, is not just any date. It is a day that seems to slip out of the usual rhythm, as if time itself chose to slow down, to become more attentive. The bells do not simply ring: they linger. The air carries the scent of wild flowers and incense, and in that ancient mixture a presence re-emerges that does not need to be named at once. Saint Francis, the Poor Man of Assisi, the man who knew how to walk in the world without possessing it, to touch things without harming them, to live every creature as a sister. The feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, which falls on this date, is not exhausted in a liturgy. It is a threshold, a moment in which, almost without noticing, an entire country finds itself reckoning with words that never cease to burn: peace, fraternity, care for creation. Words worn by use, perhaps, yet still capable of wounding and healing at the same time. Words which, for Francis, were not merely concepts, but lived life, choice after choice, renunciation after renunciation.

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Saint Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis of Assisi: in this section you will find a rich selection of items

In 2026 this observance will take on an additional weight. The feast of Saint Francis will coincide with the Eighth Centenary of the Saint of Assisi. On this occasion, it will once again be recognised as an Italian national holiday, in the name of peace and fraternity. Eight hundred years separate that 4 October from that same night in 1226, when Francis left this earth, and yet the distance has never seemed so fragile, so fleeting. The Eighth Centenary of the death of Francis will run through Italy with celebrations, meetings, moments of reflection spread across the entire peninsula, like an invisible thread inviting people to pause, to look back not out of regret, but to find direction. The feast of Saint Francis thus becomes something more than a date on the calendar: a fixed point, a compass, a call.

But beyond the national celebrations, personal memories remain: those that surface almost unbidden, the stories we have all heard since childhood. Francis speaking to the birds, embracing the leper, leaving everything to follow an inner voice stronger than any security. Stories perhaps heard as children, but which as adults reveal another depth. Francis was not simply “good”: he was unsettling, radical, even scandalous. A revolutionary of the spirit, capable of living the Gospel with such consistency as to seem mad to his contemporaries—and perhaps still today.

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Statue of St Francis in resin 30 cm

St Francis statue holds doves in his hands. Carefully detailed, made of resin.

800 years since the death of Saint Francis

Eight centuries have passed since that night of 3 October 1226, when Francis died at the Porziuncola, with his friars around him. He was only forty-four, yet his body was already exhausted: the poverty embraced to the full, the stigmata borne in silence, the illness that in his final years had made him frail, almost blind. The sources, however, speak of a serene, peaceful face. As if, in the end, there had been no fear, but only a going to meet what lay ahead.

The Eighth Centenary of the death of Saint Francis arrives in a troubled time, and perhaps that is no coincidence. We live amid environmental crises, conflicts that seem endless, ever more evident inequalities. In the midst of all this, Francis continues to speak. Not with solutions, not with slogans, but with a way of being in the world that calls into question our most deeply rooted habits. The Canticle of the Creatures, written when he was already suffering and barely able to see, is not a naïve hymn: it is the gaze of one who recognises a profound kinship with all things, even with death. A vision that today we would call ecological, but which arises from something simpler and more radical.

Francis understood that peace cannot be imposed or proclaimed. It begins within, when one stops measuring the other as an adversary or an obstacle. The prayer attributed to him—“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace”—does not console: it demands commitment. It asks one to give something up, to expose oneself, to accept change. For him, conversion was not an abstract idea, but a continuous process, often demanding, always concrete.

To look at Francis today also means questioning the future. What does it mean to live his message in the present? No habit is required, nor a withdrawal from the world. What is required is to choose what is essential, to give weight to relationships, to care for what has been entrusted to us. Francis did not speak to a chosen few: he spoke to anyone willing to listen. And perhaps this is precisely what, after eight hundred years, still makes him difficult to ignore.

Saint Francis National Holiday

From 2026, 4 October will once again be an Italian national holiday. A decision that came with a law approved in 2025, which reinstates the day of Saint Francis of Assisi among the civil holidays, with its concrete effects on work and daily life, after its abolition in 1977. It is not a folkloric return, nor a nostalgic concession. It is a choice that says something precise about what this country still recognises as essential.

Saint Francis has been the patron saint of Italy since 1939, when Pius XII proclaimed him as such together with Saint Catherine of Siena. But that title has never remained confined to an official formula. Francis runs through Italian history in a subterranean way: in landscapes, in art, in language, in a certain way of understanding poverty, beauty, and the relationship with creation. Recognising 4 October as a national holiday means giving civic form to a bond that, in fact, has never been broken.

This day speaks to believers and non-believers alike. Peace, dialogue, attention to the least, respect for the environment are not the words of a single tradition, but possible meeting points in a fragmented, often aggressive time. In this sense, the national holiday of Saint Francis does not divide: it gathers. It does not demand ideological adherence, but invites people to pause, at least for a day, around values that have not lost their urgency.

For Franciscan communities, naturally, 4 October remains the heart of the year. Friars, Poor Clares, and tertiaries experience it as a moment of profound renewal, a return to the origins. But Francis does not belong only to the Church. He is a figure who has spoken, and continues to speak, to different worlds, to sensitivities far removed from one another. From Giotto to Dante, from Dostoevsky to Gandhi, his passage has left traces wherever there has been someone willing to question the ultimate meaning of things.

This feast also recalls a responsibility. Italy preserves the Franciscan sites: Assisi, of course, with its basilicas and frescoes, but also a constellation of hermitages, convents, and churches scattered across the peninsula. Places that are not only artistic heritage, but living spaces, still capable today of speaking of silence, of essentiality, of peace. To celebrate them means not turning them into static relics, but keeping them open to be experienced.

Celebrations and initiatives

The Eighth Centenary of the death of Saint Francis, intertwined with the restoration of 4 October as a national holiday, has generated a broad and widespread movement. A dense calendar of celebrations and initiatives that does not concern Assisi alone, but runs through the entire country, as if Italy had felt the need to return to questioning, together, the figure of the Poor Man. The Ministry of Culture has supported this path by dedicating a specific portal to the event, conceived not as a simple container of information, but as a space of connection between cultural, artistic, and spiritual projects, also aimed at younger generations.

The celebrations touch on different fields, because different are the ways in which Francis has spoken to people over the centuries. There are exhibitions gathering works inspired by his life, concerts combining sacred and contemporary music, meetings and seminars that delve into the history and theology of his thought. Above all, there are the walks: Franciscan itineraries that allow people to retrace the places crossed by the saint, to measure the landscape with the slow pace of those who walk in search. Umbria remains the heart of this movement, with Assisi ready to welcome pilgrims from all over the world for the solemn celebrations.

This year, however, the calendar takes on a rare intensity. For the first time in history, the mortal remains of Francis will be displayed for the veneration of anyone who wishes to draw near. From 22 February to 22 March 2026, in the Basilica of Assisi, his body, moved from the crypt and placed at the foot of the altar, will be visible to all—pilgrims and wayfarers, families and foreigners who have come from afar—in a single, simple gesture of encounter. It is an invitation that goes beyond formal devotion: it allows one to pause before a concrete reality, a life that was spent amid the dust of the road and calls for compassion, and that continues to speak of peace, fraternity, and care for others as if it were a living word.

Among the relics on display are testimonies of extraordinary symbolic as well as historical value: the patched habit, marked by time and use, emblem of a poverty not displayed but lived to the full; the autograph letters, which restore a voice both fragile and ardent; small everyday objects, seemingly insignificant, that suddenly become charged with meaning. Each relic tells a story, each fragment opens a window onto that medieval world in which a young man from Assisi chose to abandon everything in order to follow Christ without compromise.

Spiritual discernment is a gift from God that helps us in the knowledge of ourselves and of life, and the Holy Spirit is our guide

The term discernment has a very broad meaning, and even within Christian Catholic spirituality it can take on different meanings depending on the context. In general, we speak of spiritual discernment to mean that precious process of knowledge that allows us to orient ourselves along the path of existence, to evaluate the reality around us and the events that occur in the light of faith. It is a gift bestowed upon us by God Himself through the Holy Spirit, which makes us more aware of His presence in our lives, more inclined to listen to His voice in order to discover the reasons for our existence.

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Holy Spirit statue in wood, Val Gardena

Statue made in Val Gardena, Italy, sculpted in maple wood and oil-painted by hand.

In this sense, discernment becomes vocational discernment, a process of personal exploration and discovery aimed at understanding one’s calling, one’s purpose in life. However, we must not believe that vocational discernment concerns only those aspiring to the priesthood. Although often associated with the choice of a religious vocation, vocational discernment can be applied to any sphere of life, such as career, public service or even interpersonal relationships.

It is important to emphasise that spiritual discernment is not a one-off process, but a continuous journey of spiritual growth.

Priestly vocation and discernment

How can one understand whether the call felt within the soul is a call that leads us to God? It is precisely discernment that comes to our aid—this deep and intimate listening that brings us into contact with our spirituality and with the Lord, helping us to understand how we may dedicate our lives to Him, whether by continuing to live among others while making the world a better place each day, or by embracing the priestly vocation and truly becoming instruments of His will.

The path of vocational discernment is a fascinating journey that begins with the emergence of thoughts that urge us to explore the deeper meaning of our lives. These thoughts, if guided by the Lord, will lead us to discover our authentic calling. The vocational journey requires patience and attentiveness and unfolds through various stages that correspond to further moments of awareness. Meanwhile, it is important to remain open and receptive to what life offers us, knowing that some thoughts are only temporary and will fade over time. The search for one’s calling requires time, but in the end it will lead us to new horizons and to a profound personal fulfilment.

In the journey of the priestly vocation, vocational discernment plays a fundamental role. Spiritual and intellectual formation, participation in Mass, frequenting the sacraments, and reading and studying theology, philosophy and other relevant disciplines are just some of the aspects to be considered on the path towards the priesthood. Spiritual accompaniment by a guide is also important—a spiritual director or a priest, an experienced mentor who can offer advice, guidance and support during the process of discernment and help the candidate for the priesthood to reflect on his experiences, to discern the signs of God in his life and to evaluate his suitability for the priesthood.

Another important aspect of vocational discernment is pastoral experience within the community of faith. Candidates for the priesthood are encouraged to take an active part in parish life, to assume pastoral responsibilities and to serve others. This offers them the opportunity to test their inclinations and to develop the skills necessary for priestly ministry.

Only after these experiences and an appropriate period of in-depth discernment does the candidate who has clearly and consistently felt God’s call to the priesthood decide to enter the seminary. During the time in the seminary, discernment will continue with the guidance of the rector and the other formators.

The Holy Spirit and the gift of discernment

The Holy Spirit is considered the principal agent of discernment in the Christian tradition. He is the gift of God to the Church and works in the lives of believers to guide them in understanding the divine will and in making wise and just decisions. Discernment is not merely an intellectual or rational process, but involves the whole person in a spiritual dynamic, requiring openness of heart and a willingness to listen to the voice of God through the Holy Spirit. It is He who enlightens the mind, opens the eyes of the heart and grants deep spiritual insight. In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is presented as the Comforter, the Counsellor and the Teacher who assists believers in understanding the truth and in making right decisions. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, believers can discern between good and evil, between the will of God and the ways of the world.

Discernment is closely linked to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that is, those spiritual qualities and abilities, those “permanent dispositions which make a person docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit”, so that he may act for the good. Among the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are particularly relevant in the context of discernment, we can identify the gift of wisdom, which enables one to discern and evaluate situations with a spiritual outlook, seeing things according to God’s perspective; the gift of knowledge, which helps one to understand deeply the truth revealed by God and to discern His will; and the gift of counsel, which acts upon human understanding by enlightening it in moral choices.

There is also the discernment of spirits, another gift of the Holy Spirit which enables one to recognise and distinguish the different spiritual influences present in situations and in people, helping to distinguish between what comes from God, what is human, and what is of malicious origin.

According to Catholic doctrine, discernment is a process that involves all the faithful, but bishops hold a particular role as guardians and guides of the ecclesial community. Bishops are considered successors of the Apostles and have received the authority and grace to govern, teach and sanctify the people of God.

Bishops, by virtue of their episcopal consecration and their communion with the Pope, are regarded as the primary persons responsible for discerning the will of God for the Church and for the faithful. They have the task of teaching Catholic doctrine and morality, administering the sacraments and guiding the community in spiritual growth. In a word, they are the custodians, entrusted by the Holy Spirit with the duty and the capacity to guide the flock, by virtue of the spiritual and pastoral discernment indispensable for attaining knowledge and fulfilment of the will of God, in which all fullness resides.

Vocational discernment arises in the heart and mind of the bishop through his deep life of prayer, which characterises his intimate relationship with God and makes him steadfast in his choices and actions, both at a personal and ecclesial level. In the silence of prayer, the Bishop learns to recognise the voice of God, gaining access to a higher truth inspired by the Holy Spirit.

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Bishop’s items

Here you can find bishop croziers for solemn celebrations.

For a Christian, the testimony of faith is not just a declaration of one’s belief. Faith becomes daily action, mercy, service to others, in reflection of Christ.

Testimony of faith for a Christian is the public and personal expression of one’s religious faith in Jesus Christ and the principles of the Christian religion. This witness can manifest itself in different ways and can have multiple meanings for Christians, but in general, it implies a commitment to live according to the teachings of Christ and to share them with others.

The more faith is shared, the more virtuous behaviours are adopted in everyday life, and the more it feeds our behaviour towards others, the more it grows in strength and meaning. The witnesses of the Christian faith are therefore those men and women who live daily the joy of their personal encounter with the Lord, communicating it to the world in words and above all with actions, living every gesture, every behaviour, adopting Jesus as a personal model, whose entire existence has been a witness of faith and love for God the Father. In this, we can recognise in Jesus the most significant and most authentic witness of faith, the One who expressed his love for God in every word, but above all in every gesture, in every generous and merciful impulse towards his neighbour.

How can a faithful Christian bear witness to their faith? If  Confirmation is the Sacrament that makes us witnesses of Christ, thanks to the Holy Spirit and the seven gifts. It infuses in us; it alone is not enough to direct us along the path of Jesus. So if this precious Sacrament, not surprisingly also called Confirmation, represents the starting point of the testimony of faith for children and adults, it all depends on how much and how we will be able to put these gifts to good use.

The most powerful witness for a Christian is their own life, which is lived in a manner consistent with the teachings of Christ, demonstrating love, compassion, forgiveness and humility, can positively influence the people around them.

Who are the witnesses to the faith, and what does it mean to be one?

Who are the witnesses to the faith?

Given that in a Christian context, a witness to the faith is any person who, after experiencing the unconditional love of God, feels impelled to share himself altruistically daily, trying to arouse in the other the joy of feeling loved in the same way, there are types of individuals and groups that stand out in a particular way for the authentic and visible witness of their religious faith. These witnesses to the faith may belong to different spiritual traditions, but in general, they are people who embody and share their faith with others in a tangible way.

In the Catholic Christian tradition and in some other Christian denominations, saints are considered exemplary witnesses to the faith. They are people whose lifestyle, actions, and prayers extraordinarily reflect their faith in Christ. Missionaries are also witnesses to the faith, they who dedicate their lives to spreading the religious message in regions or communities where religion is not yet known or practised. Through their service and teaching, they seek to bring the faith to those who have not yet embraced it.

Bishops, priests, pastors, and other religious leaders are considered witnesses to the faith. They lead religious communities, teach the principles of the faith, and set an example through their conduct and spiritual service. So too the volunteers and humanitarian workers who work to help those in need and in so doing bear witness to their faith through service to others and relief in emergencies.

Outside of Christianity, there are witnesses of faith in other religions, such as Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and many others. These individuals testify to their faith through religious practice, observance of the commandments, and respect for others.

What does it mean to be witnesses to the faith?

Witnessing to the faith means living and sharing one’s religious faith authentically and visibly with others. This involves various aspects. First of all, being a witness to the faith implies living in a manner consistent with the principles and teachings of one’s faith. It means to be an example of how faith positively influences daily life.
It also means openly sharing faith with others through sincere conversations, answering their questions about faith, or inviting them to participate in religious events or meetings with the spiritual community.

Being a witness to the faith also involves service to others. This can include volunteering, helping those in need, fighting social injustice, and supporting the community.
Witnessing to the faith involves respecting the different religious beliefs of others and treating them with tolerance and respect. This promotes interreligious harmony and understanding.
Another indispensable form of witness of faith is prayer, public or private, a declaration of dependence on God and trust in His guidance.
Christians can confirm their testimonies of Catholic faith by actively participating in the life of the local church, parish events, and above all by volunteering and supporting the activities of the community. This also involves actively sharing the faith with others, spreading the Word, explaining the Gospel, and inviting people to know Christ. It can be done through personal conversations, distributing religious materials, and participating in missions. What matters is the spirit that animates. Just offering comfort, support, and words of hope to people in times of difficulty can be a powerful testimony of faith in a loving and compassionate God.

It would make no sense to speak of Christian testimonies in people whose ethical standards, whose morality, are not examples of righteousness and cleanliness. Adopting immoral or improper behaviour is the exact antithesis of the testimony of the Christian faith. On the contrary, carrying out one’s principles, defending moral values, even outside religious life, for example by actively engaging against injustice and social inequality, will represent an added value.

Some stories of faith

Many Christian people share their personal story of conversion, how faith has positively affected their lives, or how it has positively changed them. These testimonies of conversion and faith can inspire and encourage others on their spiritual journey and show how faith in Christ can bring meaningful change. We have seen how the witness of faith for a Christian is a way of living their faith authentically and visibly to others, to bring light, hope, and love to the surrounding world. So why not be inspired by those of faith who have made their own emblem and every ripple of existence?
In our online store, you will find a wide range of stories of faith in the books of the best-known Christian authors of our time, from Don Tonino Bello to Don Luigi Maria Epicoco, men and priests capable of inspiring other men with their words, as well as with their example of life.

Other precious Christian Catholic testimonies come to us from the world of music, cinema and entertainment. Actors and singers, soubrettes and directors, some unsuspected, have been protagonists of famous religious conversions, which show us how, before God and faith, we are only men and women in search of a higher meaning of existence. Would you like one or two names? Al Pacino, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, but also the Italians Andrea Bocelli and Nek! Reading their stories and statements can be enlightening for those seeking their own path of witness to faith.

With the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers a new vision of the divine law, offering a revolutionary model of conduct based on love and forgiveness

The Sermon on the Mount, reported in the Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 5:1-12), is undoubtedly Jesus’ most famous sermon and, perhaps, of all history. Delivered on a mountain in Galilee, before a large crowd of disciples and onlookers, this sermon represents a milestone in Christianity, as it summarises the ethical and spiritual principles that underlie the Christian faith. 

What makes the teaching expressed by the Sermon on the Mount particularly revolutionary is its absolutely innovative content, for the historical moment in which it was pronounced. Jesus’ words are extraordinary for their time, and it is not difficult to understand how they continue to inspire believers and nonbelievers today. Jesus overturns the expectations and conventions of the time, preaching a message of love, forgiveness, justice and compassion that challenges the hierarchies and hypocrisies of society.

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Statuette representing a specific moment in the life of Jesus when he climbed a mountain and sat down to teach a group of people.

Through the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers a transformative vision of divine law, delving into the fundamental principles of the Ten Commandments and inviting his listeners to understand the heart of morality and spirituality. His words are not mere legal norms, but principles that embrace love, compassion, justice, and mercy.

In this sense, the Sermon on the Mount offers a model of ethical and spiritual life that goes beyond mere formal observance of the Commandments to embrace a challenging call to inner transformation and life according to the values of the Kingdom of God.

The Beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount

At the centre of the Sermon on the Mount, we find the Beatitudes, proclamations of happiness that turn their attention to the least, to the marginalised, to those who suffer. Jesus proclaims blessed the poor in spirit, the afflicted, the meek, the persecuted for justice, teaching that true happiness is found in the search for God and in love for one’s neighbour. 

The Beatitudes represent the beating heart of the Gospel. They reveal to us a God who cares about our joy and who tells us how to obtain it and how to embrace authentic life and true fulfilment. They are not just a list of abstract precepts, but the joyful proclamation of the life given by God to those who love, of a new world characterised by peace, sincerity, and justice.
With the Beatitudes, Jesus offers us a new concept of Holiness, incarnate and tangible, and reveals to us who the blessed truly are.

The evangelical beatitudes are present both in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and in the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 6:20-38). They constitute an essential component of Christ’s teachings and offer a profound and universal spiritual guide to all who seek the way of beatitude and divine benevolence.

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This icon was painted by hand in Romania using the traditional iconographic technique.

Their importance is such that a reduced version of the beatitudes is also found in verses 54 and 69 of the Gospel of Thomas, an apocryphal gospel that does not narrate the life of Jesus, but collects his sayings.

Jesus offered a precious gift to humanity through the Beatitudes. These teachings not only describe the path to true happiness, but also provide a pattern of living based on the spiritual values He has embodied. Those who embrace this model of life, living according to the teachings of Jesus, are already on the way to salvation.
The Beatitudes, with their unique perspective on happiness and virtue, represent a fundamental starting point for those who seek the most profound meaning of their existence. Following the teachings of Jesus and living according to the Beatitudes orients one toward authentic joy and spiritual fulfilment.

But what are the Beatitudes?

The Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5:1-12 contains nine of them:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the afflicted, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will find mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you, persecute you and, lying, they will say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and rejoice, for great is your reward in heaven. 

The Gospel of Luke contains four beatitudes combined with four woes.

The four beatitudes (Lk 6:20-23) are:

Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you and when they banish you and insult you and reject your name as wicked because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.  

The four woes (Lk 6:24 -26) are:

But woe to you, rich people, because you already have your consolation.
Woe to you who are now satiated, because you will be hungry.
Woe to you who are now laughing, because you will be afflicted and you will weep.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you.

Lastly, in the Gospel of Thomas, we read:

«Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’» (Gospel of Thomas, 54)

«Jesus said, ‘Blessed are you, when you are hated and persecuted; and there will be no place left where you will be persecuted.” Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted in hearts: it is they who have truly come to know the Father. Blessed are those who endure hunger, so that the stomach of the needy may be filled.”» (Gospel of Thomas, 68-69)

Sermon on the Mount: meaning

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount also offers teachings on the correct way to live and pray, stressing the importance of an authentic inner life and sincere religiosity, far from hypocrisy and ostentation. Jesus defines his disciples as the salt of the earth and the light of the world, urging them to shine their light before men, as a model of virtue and demonstration of the existence of God the Father.

The First section of the Sermon on the Mount (5:17-48) deals with the complete fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, but with new presuppositions, derived from the Ten Commandments, which go beyond the simple written rule, invoking mercy, piety and love for one’s neighbour.

Fundamental is the reassurance that Jesus provides, regarding His will to fulfil what is written in the Law and announced by the Prophets, not to abolish or renege on everything that was written and said before His coming (17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish, but to fulfil). This statement is important because it reaffirms the continuity between the Jewish tradition and Jesus.

The sermon continues with a new definition of Justice by Jesus. Authentic justice, according to God’s will, goes beyond the legalistic rigorism of the scribes and Pharisees, who cling to the letter of the law without understanding its true spirit (20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven). This divine justice is permeated by love, capable of forgiving and embracing the authentic joy that comes from the living Word that resonates within us. Instead of being imprisoned in the rigidities of external legality, unnecessarily severe and deaf to God’s Mercy, God’s true justice is expressed in forgiveness, mercy and love towards others. It is a justice that frees hearts from hypocrisy and pride, allowing them to live according to the principles of compassion and humility taught by Jesus.

A deepening of the Ten Commandments follows, with examples and explanations: do not kill, live in concord with your brothers, agree with your adversaries, do not commit adultery, not even with thought (28 but I tell you: whoever looks at a woman to desire her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart), do not perjure yourself.

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Again, Jesus recommends that you do not react to offenses with violence (39 but I tell you not to oppose the evil one; indeed, if one strikes your right cheek, you also turn the otherto him) and invites you to love your enemies: “44 But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for your persecutors, 45 so that you may be children of your heavenly Father, who makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and makes it rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what merit have you?” This exhortation adds to and completes the commandment to love one’s neighbour, adding to it love for the enemy and for the stranger, as we also see, for example, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

The Second section of the Sermon (6:1-18) instead focuses on the fulfilment of justice before God, against human pride, ostentation and self-referentiality.

All the rules of conduct and coexistence listed in the first part must not be followed only to gain the admiration of others. In the same way, good works, charity, mercy, do not need an audience that approves them: “2 Therefore, when you give alms, do not blow the trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to be praised by men. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may remain secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.” 

In equal measure, prayer should not necessarily be practised in public, to be seen by men. It is only to God that we must turn, in an intimate and secret conversation: “6 But you, when you pray, enter your room and, closing the door, pray to your Father in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.”

The Lord’s Prayer

The Sermon on the Mount also includes the  Lord’s Prayer, the prayer with which Jesus teaches the disciples to address God the Father correctly.
Within the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord’s Prayer assumes a central role, because it presents a simple but meaningful model of prayer, an instrument that is not only a formula to be recited, but a teaching of deep intimacy with God, with the trust and confidence that could be reserved for a loving Father.

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The Lord’s Prayer is articulated in three statements that express our commitment to witnessing the holiness of God’s name, promoting the coming of his kingdom, and accepting and fully adhering to his will.

After the declarations, there are three fundamental requests in the Lord’s Prayer: the plea for daily support from God, represented in the bread that we need every day; the request for forgiveness for our sins, symbolised by the act of asking for the remission of our spiritual debts; finally, the prayer for salvation and protection from any evil and temptation that may divert our path.

This prayer thus becomes a complete model of communication with God and commitment to others, reflecting the essence of the Christian faith in the relationship with the Divine and with one’s neighbour.

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