The Jesse Tree.

This tree looks at some of the important stories in the history of Jesus’ people and it is a very ancient Christian tradition. The first Jessie Trees appear about 1.000 years ago. Jesse was the father of King David and this verse ‘A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse’ and a branch out of his roots’ from Isaiah 11.1 says that the Messiah would come from David’s family. Early Jesse trees showed Jesse at the bottom of a branching tree bearing David and Jesus. Later artists added more figures. The Jesse tree appeared in almost every art form, including sculpture, painting, manuscripts, wood carving and many ancient Cathedrals have Jesse Stem windows.

Each week during advent we will look at a different group of people and add symbols as reminders of people in the Bible’s story of God’s love for our world.