Monday, December 2, 2013

Quilt Block in Honor of St. Elizabeth, Mother of St. John the Baptist

According to the Gospel of Luke, Elizabeth was a daughter of Aaron the high priest (Luke 1:5-7). She and her husband Zacharias were "righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless", but childless. While ministering in the temple of the Lord, Zacharias was visited by the angel Gabriel (Luke 8-12) and told of the impending birth of a son, who would become St. John the Baptist.

According to the account, the angel Gabriel was then sent to Nazareth in Galilee to her "cousin" Mary, then a virgin, espoused to a man called Joseph, and informed her that she would conceive by the Holy Ghost and bring forth a son to be called Jesus. After she was also informed that her "cousin Elisabeth" had begun her sixth month of pregnancy, she travelled to "Hebron, in the hill country of Judah",to visit (Luke 1:26-40).

Luke 1:56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
57 Now Elizabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
That was the last mention of Elizabeth, who is not mentioned in any other chapter in the Bible.

I wasn't able to find a mention of any symbol for St. Elizabeth, only that she was associated with the color green. So, I have set one of the symbols (a shell) of her son (St. John the Baptist) on a field of green.

To download the free 12" x 12" pattern, please click here: Quilt Block in Honor of St. Elizabeth of the Bible

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