The Adoration of the Shepherds

On the night that Jesus was born, angels announced His birth to common shepherds who were tending their flocks in the fields.  (From this we know that Jesus was not born in the winter, because sheep are not in the fields during winter.)  The Jewish people had been waiting for centuries for their Messiah, and when their King came, He was born in a dirty stable rather than in a palace, and He was announced to lowly shepherds rather than nobles and religious leaders.  Humility was honored and pride was ignored.

These first picture is by an unknown artist (at least unknown to me) and the second is by Tom DuBois.

The next painting is The Arrival of the Shepherds by Lerolle.

The next painting is Nativity by Rubens:

And the following is the adoration of the shepherds by El Greco:

After the shepherds left and told everyone what they had experienced, the Scriptures tell us that Mary remembered all that the shepherds had told of the angel's words and she pondered them in her heart.  What follows is The Song of Angels by Bougereau, a magnificent Victorian painter.

If you want to go on to the adoration of the Magi, click on the small nativity.  If you want to go back to the beginning page, click on the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.