EvangelistEvangelist 1. Used of the four Gospel writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.2. Someone who proclaims the the Christian message or Gospel (evangel).3. A character in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress., ApostleDisciple New Testament term meaning learner or follower and used of the Twelve Apostles as well as of the followers of Jesus in general. See Apostle.. Son of Zebedee and brother of St James the Great. One of the three disciples closest to Christ. Tradition states that he wrote the Fourth GospelGospel (Greek evangelion, Old English godspel 'good news') 1. The central message of the Christian faith concerning salvation. 2. Title given to the four New Testament books which describe the life of Christ i.e. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 3. A reading taken from one of the four Gospels which has the place of honour in the Eucharist, the three Epistles of John and the Book of RevelationRevelation 1. The idea that God reveals himself to humankind in various ways, including through Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Creation.2. The Book of Revelation, also called Apocalypse. The final book of the Bible which records the Apocalyptic visions of St John on the island of Patmos.. In medieval iconographyIconography Symbols or images with a recognised meaning or which convey specific attributes. Also the study of the content of images and their meaning. Medieval religious iconographic representation employed a vocabulary of standard visual symbols to convey meaning to viewers. These symbols allowed artists to use a sort of visual shorthand for representing the saints. For example, in a limited space, an artist might simply depict an attribute of a saint or saint's emblem to call to mind a range of associations, including a saint's name, miracles associated with him or her, and for some saints, the martyrdom he or she suffered. In this way, the bull became synonymous with St Luke, the keys, with St Peter, the book with St Anne, the dragon, with St George, and so on. often stands with the Virgin MaryVirgin Mary Mother of Jesus and wife of Saint Joseph. She is believed to have conceived Jesus through the agency of the Holy Spirit alone, thus remaining a virgin. The Council of Ephesus (431) confirmed upon her the title of theotokos, 'godbearer'The account of Mary's life in the New Testament was amplified by apocryphal documents and doctrines concerning her person and role developed in succeeding centuries. Justin Martyr (d.c.165) contrasted Mary's obedience with the disobedience of Eve, but the assertion that Mary, like her son, had been immaculately conceived (i.e. free from original sin) was disputed throughout the Middle Ages. The Book of James (mid-2nd century) named her parents as Joachim and Anna and asserted her perpetual virginity. The belief that she did not die but was taken up bodily into heaven was celebrated in the Feast of the Assumption. Faith in Mary's powers as intercessor on behalf of sinful men and women was given fresh impetus by St Bernard (1090-1153) and she was popularly regarded as the Queen of Heaven.See also Joys and Sorrows of Mary. Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Purification (February 2); Annunciation (March 25); Assumption (August 15); Nativity (September 8); Conception (December 8). at the foot of the CrossCross Instrument of torture and execution used in the Roman Empire. The means by which Christ was put to death and therefore the primary symbol of the Christian faith, representing the means by which he is believed to have won forgiveness for humankind. The Cross may be represented as Tau-shaped (like a capital T); with a shorter cross-bar or with a circle enclosing the upper intersection (Celtic). In medieval art a cross made of living branches signifies the Tree of Life. St Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, is said to have discovered the True Cross (i.e. the Cross in Jerusalem on which Christ died) in 326.. Symbol an eagle