View of a small altar located inside St. Benedict Catholic Church showing beautiful large bronze statues depicting the Holy Family; below them is a painting of The Child Jesus, or Christ Child, and Mary. The Holy Family consists of Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph. According to Christian Gospel accounts and tradition, Joseph was the husband of Mary and the legal father of Jesus of Nazareth. Christian faith tradition also holds that Joseph did not physically beget Jesus, but that Mary's conception was believed to have been an act of the Holy Spirit, since Mary was a virgin at the time of the birth. Little else is known of Joseph except that he was apparently a skilled craftsman or carpenter. In contrast, Mary is one of the most highly venerated saints in the Catholic Church. Below the painting of Christ Child and Mary is an offering of candles. In Christianity, candles were, and are, commonly used to burn before shrines towards which the faithful wish to show special devotion. Worshipers may light a candle in front of icons as an accompaniment to prayer. Candles are symbols that represent the light of God or, specifically, the light of Christ. Several rows of white candles are also visible on the right. St. Benedict Catholic Church was established in 1906 and is located at 1022 Cleveland Ave. in the city of Montebello. Photo dated: 2006.
Mary,--Blessed Virgin, Saint--Statues Joseph,--Saint--Statues Jesus Christ--Family St. Benedict Catholic Church (Montebello, Calif.) Catholic churches--California--Montebello Christian shrines--California--Montebello Church buildings--California--Montebello Statues--California--Montebello Idols and images--Worship Montebello (Calif.) Los Angeles Photographers Collection photographs Jeff Allen Houses of Worship Collection photographs
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