The lower half of the engraving shows the Nativity scene. It is miniaturized to reflect that by now the birth of Christ is an event of the past. The message, though, remains unchanged, "Today a Savior is born to you." Though as child depicted, this Savior is present, with his mother, in a medallion marked by a crown of thorns and the many instruments of Christ's passion (Arma Christi), from the purse with the thirty shillings to the ladder serving for Christ's deposition from the cross. In fact, the medallion with Mother and Child is hanging on the cross, the same cross Christ is pointing to with his right hand. The caption above Mary's head highlights that she is not only the Mother of the Savior, but in a more intimate way "my mother," which could refer to the Christ child as well as point to each one of us. Christ is destined or called to be the Savior of the world (Genesis 41).
Mary is the one of whom it is said, "She will bear a Son and name him Jesus, and he will save his people" (Matthew 1).
MATER SALVATORIS - ORA PRO NOBIS!
Credit: Mary's Page
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