Catholic Activity: Triptych

A homemade triptych, decorated with Easter symbols, can serve as a background for your prayer altar.

DIRECTIONS

Large paneled triptychs using three pictures or three symbols of paschaltide make prayerful backgrounds for the home altar or the dining room buffet. Triptychs are made of three equal panels of cardboard which are connected together with gummed tape so that the panels will fold. For instance, a triptych may be made using three symbols for the following feasts:

Ascension Crown

Pentecost Dove

Trinity Triangle

A similar triptych, using pictures, might include

Resurrection

Ascension

Pentecost

A triptych showing scenes:

Easter The Resurrection

Ascension Christ in Glory

Pentecost The Cenacle

A triptych showing three saints:

St. Isidore

St. Joseph

Blessed Mother

Old religious calendars, Bible and Liturgy Sunday bulletins and Catholic magazine covers are an excellent source of material for this project. Young children enjoy decorating triptychs with finger paints or cutting symbols already drawn on construction paper. A set of such symbols is given below.

EASTER: A circle or ring speaks of eternity in that it has no beginning and no end. It is the monogram of God, representing His perfection. Color: white.

ASCENSION: The crown stands for the victory of Christ. Color: gold.

PENTECOST: The dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Its symbolism first appears in the baptism of Jesus. "I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him" (John 1:32). Color: red.

TRINITY: The equilateral triangle represents the eternal, equal and indivisible Trinity. Three equal circles in triangle form are the monogram of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Color: white.

EASTER. A circle or ring speaks of eternity in that it has no beginning and no end. It is the monogram of God, representing His perfection. Color: white.

ASCENSION. The crown stands for the victory of Christ. Color: gold.

PENTECOST. The dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Its symbolism first appears in the baptism of Jesus. "I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him" (John 1:32). Color: red.

TRINITY. The equilateral triangle represents the eternal, equal and indivisible Trinity. Three equal circles in triangle form are the monogram of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Color: white.

Activity Source: Family Customs: Easter to Pentecost by Helen McLoughlin, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1956