![]() ![]() Teresa Aletheia’s apostolate has introduced this ancient phrase and its practice to a new generation of Catholic Christians. Teresa Aletheia Noble of the Daughters of St. The phrase and discipline known as memento mori has recently resurfaced and experienced renewed popularity, thanks to the writing of a young nun, Sr. This is a grace of the practice of “Memento mori,” which is Latin for “Remember your death.” Instead of focusing on the unfamiliar, uncontrollable aspect of bodily death, God calls us to rejoice in the gift of our immortal souls, and to embrace the hope and the promise implicit in bodily death. The better part is to fix our gaze confidently on God, who desires all to be saved. ![]() Matthew 10: 28-31įear is a natural part of our humanity, but it is not the better part. So do not be afraid you are worth more than many sparrows. ![]() Even all the hairs of your head are counted. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Contemplating the Reality of DeathĪnd do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. We can let go of our fear of death and embrace the unique mission He asks of us in our finite time on earth. We can spend our lives seeking His will, and aspiring only for that to be done. If we understand and believe these truths of our Faith, we can live freely in the light of His love for us. Yet, if we are pursuing holiness and conformity to God’s will, we need not fear the future held in store for us: it is Heaven, and union with the Lord who is the source of our joy.Ĭhrist has already died for each of us, and if we have been baptized, then we have died to the world through our baptism in Him. This reality can strike fear in the heart of even the most faithful Christian. More subtly, the presence of a book can represent the vanity of knowledge or, on the contrary, the wisdom of the soul.And, over time, so will all those whom we know and love. The butterfly represents the stealthy nature of life, as well as the persistence of the soul beyond death. A fly sitting on food can also make an appearance. Then come all the naturally beautiful but perishable elements, such as wilting flowers or decaying fruit. We also find the candle and its flickering flame, ready to be extinguished at the slightest gust of wind. Less poetic, but more explicit is the metaphor of the clock and its crazy race. In this artistic movement, the allegories are numerous and varied.Īmong the most frequent subjects, the hourglass, symbol of the time which runs out and on without any control. But the skull is not the only representation of our finitude, far from it. A universal symbol, the skull is the most common and explicit image. But what exactly is Memento Mori art? And what different meanings does it take on, depending on the era and the culture? Artsper invites you to discover this fascinating artistic trend, from still life to offbeat portraits! Memento Mori art: symbolizing deathĪ movement impregnated with a great symbolic dimension, Memento Mori art is full of objects that recall or embody death. It is an art of symbol, which uses many images and metaphors to evoke our inevitable finitude. Memento Mori can be translated as “Remember that you are dying”, reminding us of the fragility of existence. Philippe de Champaigne, Vanitas ou Allegory of human life, 1646 ![]()
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