Apocryphal Art

Sandro Magister reports on a "major exhibition dedicated to the apocryphal books – the stories and characters not included in the canonical Scriptures" — What the Bible Never Said. He rightly states that "the memories and legends not written in the books of the Old and New Testament, but which have entered into Christian tradition, depicted in art and even in many churches," do "[n]ot... invalidate the Gospels and the Church, but... bring them closer to us." Some examples:

Starting with the ox and ass beside the newborn Jesus, there are many episodes and characters in sacred history that have been handed down outside of the canonical texts of the Bible. For example, the birth and childhood of Mary, with her parents Anne and Joachim, her marriage with Joseph, the names and experiences of the Magi, the details of the flight into Egypt, the "dormition" of the Virgin Mary and her assumption into heaven.