In progress
4 December – Saint Anno
Lives of Saints by Francis Weninger
Annoschrein – Official Website and Images and a medallion taken from the shrine, now at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
Annokamm, Annostab, and Annopallium (comb, staff, and pallium)
4 December – Saint Barbara
The most stunning work of art depicting Saint Barbara is an evocatively unfinished painting by Jan van Eyck.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has several late Medieval works of art depicting Saint Barbara, each fascinating in its own way. First, a painting by Lucas Cranach of the Martyrdom of Saint Barbara. Second, a reliquary bust by Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden. Third, a limewood statue. Fourth, a French ivory rosary bead.
Miniature Lives Of The Saints For Every Day In The Year by Henry Sebastian Bowden.
6 December – Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas of Bari Banishing the Storm by Bicci di Lorenzo
Miniature Lives Of The Saints For Every Day In The Year by Henry Sebastian Bowden.
In God’s Garden: Stories of the Saints for Little Children by Amy Steedman.
7 December – Saint Ambrose
The ninth century Golden Altar in Sant’Ambrogio presents a cycle of Christ’s life in gold on the front and a cycle of Saint Ambrose’s life in silver on the back. The most accessible information comes from the entry about it on the Italian Wikipedia website. The teacher or older students interested in art history may read more here.
Peter Paul Rubens, Saint Ambrose Barring Theodosius from Milan Cathedral
Antony Van Dyck, Saint Ambrose Barring Theodosius from Milan Cathedral
Miniature Lives Of The Saints For Every Day In The Year by Henry Sebastian Bowden.
Stories of the Saints Fourth Series Saints of the Early Church by Mary Seymour.
13 December – Saint Lucy
A 14th C. fresco cycle in the Oratorio of San Giorgio in Padua by Altichiero da Zevio
(this search brings up several panels in the church, including three of the four Saint Lucy panels). You may find the fourth panel here. This video gives a nice tour of the church. Watch out for Saint Lucy at 3:44, 4:03 and 4:29 and 5:10 and 5:32, but watch the whole video to get a fuller sense of the space and extensive decoration of this little known, but incredible church, with scenes from the life of Christ, as well as from the lives of Saint George and Saint Catherine of Alexandria. You may read a scholarly article on the frescoes here.
A sixteenth-century altarpiece by Lorenzo Lotto (one panel – another panel – here reconstructed – in situ for a sense of its scale).
The painting of the Burial of Saint Lucy by Caravaggio in the church dedicated to Saint Lucy in Syracusa, Sicily. Lesser known work by Caravaggio but incredible. Read more here.
Stories of the Saints for Children Second Series by Mary Seymour.
21 December – Saint Thomas the Apostle
An Ottonian ivory in Berlin, in which the Doubting of Thomas is paired with Moses receiving the tablets of the law (a larger image file here).
A relief carving at the Monastery of Santo Domingo in Silos, Spain (an incredible closeup).
A painting by Caravaggio in Potsdam (background).
Stories of the Saints Third Series by Mary Seymour.
22 December – Saint John the Evangelist
Evangelist Portrait of Saint John in the 9th century Ebbo Gospels.
El Greco, The Vision of Saint John in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Little Lives of the Great Saints by John O’Kane Murray.
29 December – Saint Thomas of Canterbury
Enamelled boxes, chasses, from Limoges for the relics of Saint Thomas Becket.
A 15th C. series of scenes from the life of Thomas Becket in alabaster (one – two – three – four).
Stories of the Saints for Children First Series by Mary Seymour.
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Nihil sub sole novum 
