Our Lady of the Dry Tree

Petrus Christus - Our Lady of the Dry Tree

1460 - 15cm x 

Fifteen gilded letter “A”s hang from various branches of the dry tree: the “A” is the first letter of “Ave Maria,” and fifteen is the number of the Mysteries of the Rosary, the prayer in which rosary beads are used to contemplate Christ's life while praying to Mary. Additionally descriptive elements where correlated with certain trees, the dry tree looks very similar to the crown of thorns carried by Christ.

Ezekiel 17:24 "And the trees of the country shall know that, I the Lord have brought down the high tree,  and exalted the low tree: and have dried up the green tree, and have caused the dry tree to flourish." Mary being a childless mother would represent the dry tree.

  

Our Lady of The Oak Tree , parochial church of Meerveldhoven

Stamp used by Our Lady of the Dry Tree