The great 4th century deacon and hymn-writer St. Ephrem of Syria meditated on the great paradox of the Son of God nursing at the breast of his human mother:

When [Jesus] sucked the milk of Mary, He was suckling all with Life. While He was lying on His Mother’s bosom, in His bosom were all creatures lying. He was silent as a Babe, and yet He was making His creatures execute all His commands. (Hymns on the Nativity, Hymn 3)

What a beautiful mystery!

[See also: 13 Beautiful Non-White Depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

[See also: Why Are Demons So Afraid of Mary?]

Many artists have chosen to depict this incredible fact with painting. Listed below, in no particular order, are 31 of them.

P.S. Among all the great relics of the Church, no one can seem to find the sacred nursing cover of the Blessed Virgin Mary…

1) The Virgin Nursing the Infant, by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

2) Madonna Lactans, by anonymous master of Bruges

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

3) The Virgin Nursing the Child with St. John the Baptist in Adoration, by Giampietrino

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

4) Nursing Madonna, by Bernardino Luini

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

5) Madonna Nursing the Christ Child, by Master of the Legend of the Magdalen

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

6) Holy Virgin feeding Baby Christ with Her breast, by Юрий Рудницкий

Юрий Рудницкий / Wikimedia Commons
Юрий Рудницкий / Wikimedia Commons

7) Madonna and Child Nursing, by Anonymous

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

8) Madonna nursing the Child, by follower of Hans Memling

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

9) The Virgin nursing the Child, by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

10) The Virgin Mary nursing the Christ Child, by Hans Memling

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

11) The Virgin Nursing the Child, by Pompeo Batoni

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

12) Triptych with the Madonna and Nursing Child with Saints, by Anonymous

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

13) The Virgin Nursing the Child, by Albrecht Dürer

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

14) Madonna Nursing, by Anonymous

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

15) Madonna nursing the Child, by Robert Campin’s workshop

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

16) Madonna nursing the Child, by Erasmus Quellinus II

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

17) Madonna and Child, by Bernardino Luini

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

18) Galaktotrophousa, by Master Ioannis

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

19) Virgen de Belen, by Marcellus Coffermans

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

20) Virgin and Child, by Hans Baldung

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

21) Sagrada Família, by Josefa de Óbidos

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

22) The Holy Family, by El Greco

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

23) Holy Family, by Adriaen van der Werff

23

24) Madonna with Child and Parrots, by Hans Baldung

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

25) Madonna with the Infant Christ and St John the Baptist, by Domenico di Pace Beccafumi

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

26) Maria met kind, by Anonymous

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

27) Virgin and Child, by Bernard van Orley

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

28) The Circumcision of Christ, by Michiel Coxie

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

29) Madonna with Child, by Rogier van der Weyden

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

30) Madonna col Bambino in gloria con i santi Martino e Caterina, by Moretto da Brescia

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

31) Madonna Lactans mit Josef und Johannesknabe, by Anonymous

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

[See also: 3 Beautiful Celebrities Who Gave It All Up to Become Nuns]

[See also: When Mary Told McLuhan “the Medium is the Message”]

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