The beginning of Christian Art is slated to the end of the second century or the early third century AD. The Early Christian Period, ranging from the year 100 to 500, witnessed spectacular growth in the development & growth of Christianity. During this phase, almost all Christian Artworks were ‘Symbolic,’ used mostly to educate & instruct the masses. They also served as religious mediums, spreading the words of God. Religion was one of the key forces, influencing most art forms, created after the birth of Christ.

Until the year 200, in Rome, religion was a practice of low class and the strong & mighty did not support it. Therefore, the Early Christian Art was restricted to the decoration of hidden places, like Roman catacombs, where Gods were worshipped secretly. ‘Pagan Iconography’ and ‘Roman Art’ style were in a way the foundation of the Early Christian Art, such as the Catacomb Artwork, “The Good Shepherd.” These cryptic places were fashioned to respect the memory of the dead. Constantine, the great Roman emperor, however, issued his ‘Edict of Milan’ in 313 AD for religious tolerance, and declared Christianity as the Roman Empire’s state religion. Now, the Christians could fearlessly come out from the hiding, without the risk of being persecuted.

Post 313 AD, in the 4th century AD; Constantine built several huge, well-built churches and shrines. Usually five-aisled basilicas, these buildings had a nave in the center, with an aisle on both the sides, while an apse acquired one end of the structure. Together they formed an elevated platform for bishops and priests to sit on. Basilica buildings, concentrating on a round or polygonal shrine, like “Church of the Nativity” in Bethlehem, “St John Lateran,” Rome; “St. Mary Major,” Rome; and “Old St. Peter’s Basilica,” Rome; are some key complexes of this era.

The Early Christian Art employed ‘Symbolism,’ for example the fish, represented Christ; lamb, Jesus’ sacrifice; lambs, Christian sacrifice; cross; Jesus’ crucifixion; anchor, hope & steadfastness; garden, paradise; bird, soul; dove, peace & purity; and so on. The art forms practiced were graffiti, paintings, or carvings, using the same artistic media as that of the ‘Pagans,’ such as frescos, mosaics, sculptures, and manuscript illumination. A carved marble relief, “The Throne of God as a Trinitarian Image,” (c. 400 CE) is an ideal example of this ‘Early Christian Symbolism.’ Later however, the ‘Pictorial Symbolism’ graduated to the ‘Personified’ one, such Jonah in the whale’s abdomen, Orpheus with animals, and Daniel in the lion’s den.

The Christian Art after 313 AD consisted of messages glorifying God, the words of God, the Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles. The art was not so much about ‘Realism’ or technique, as much it was about the content, conveyed through the mosaics, which embellished the interiors of the early Christian basilicas, like the “Church of St. Maria Maggiore” in Rome. The paintings also carried the messages from liturgical books and other manuscripts, such as Vienna Genesis, Rossano Gospels, & Cotton Genesis. In addition, the art was even advertised with the help of ornate sarcophagi, elaborated with religious symbols, biblical figures, and narratives, such as “Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus” and “Dogmatic Sarcophagus.”

As the Early Christian Art transitioned to Romanesque and to the great gothic cathedrals, it subtly departed from ‘Naturalism,’ getting more sophisticated until the ‘Renaissance Period.’ During this time, humanity and Christianity came together, bridging the early Christian Gothic sensibilities and the Renaissance, reflecting an interesting perspective about the Early Christians.

Baltic cruises have the advantage of letting you visit so many places where you may not otherwise go, and all on the same cruise.

The Baltic of Northern Europe are those countries that encompass the Baltic Sea along with the Skagerrak Strait and Kattegat Bay. This includes ports of call in countries like Finland, Sweden, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, eastern Denmark and northeastern Germany. The port cities in these countries offer an amazing variety of cultural and historical sites to see. The shore excursions at these ports are typically visits to palaces, museum, castles, and cathedral.

The season for Baltic cruising is mainly from mid-May through mid-September. In this time frame there are three periods and each has their pros and cons for cruising:

· Mid-may to mid-June – The fares are the lowest during this period and the crowds both onboard and ashore are fairly moderate. But the days are still chilly and it can be windy. This is also the rainiest season in the Baltic making the seas occasionally rough.

· Mid-June to mid-August – Many of the days during this period are sunny and warm, with calmer seas and less wind. The days are longer which is a plus for shore excursions. The disadvantages to this period is that it can become quite hot, it is much more crowded, and both cruises and airlines can be completely booked and/or have hire fares.

· Mid-August to mid-September – The conditions are much the same as for the early season, but with less rain.

Weather is an important factor to consider when planning Baltic holidays since there are many full-day excursions. Warm weather and blue sky will enhance you excursion as well as your photo opportunities.

There are 28 Baltic cruise ports, but these are by far the best:

St. Petersburg, Russia – St. Petersburg is the northern most city on many Baltic Cruises. From May to July the people of St. Petersburg celebrate ‘white nights’ or late sunsets and early sunrises with a massive city wide art festival that offers free admissions to many museums and exhibits. You may also want to visit the palace square in St. Petersburg, or one of the cities many historic museums, parks, and cathedrals.

Copenhagen, Denmark – This is one of the ports where many Baltic cruises begin or end and is a perfect place to spend a day ashore with its storybook charm, the Tivoli Gardens, Canal Tour, and the statue of the Hans Christian Anderson’s Little Mermaid.

Stockholm, Sweden – Stockholm is another common begin or end of a cruise. This is a fascinating 750-year old city that span across twelve islands all connected by bridges. A must see is Gamla Stan (Old Town) with its narrow cobbled streets and museums.

Other outstanding ports on a Baltic cruise include Talinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; Gdansk, Poland, Riga, Latvia; and Rostick, Germany.

There are several cruise lines that offer cruises to the Baltic and you can choose a cruise line by what style cruise you prefer and what fits your budget. If you are looking for a less crowded cruise with a lot of luxury, Regent Seven Seas and Silversea Cruises offer these. For an upmarket cruise go with either Celebrity or Holland America. Lines like Costa Cruise, Norwegian Cruise, Fred Olen, Princes, and Royal Caribbean offer the mainstream and less expensive Baltic cruises.

Sculptures of mothers and daughters
tender works of art
cast to be remembered
this day
this loving day.

Mature women remember
mark birthdays on calendars
keep boxes with ribbons ready
cards already signed.

Fine art paintings
reproductions of the moment
in time
that will always be held dear
and ever so close to the heart.

Daughters will always be treasured
butterflies and roses
swings in the afternoon
daisies to pluck
to see is they have found true love.

Mary Cassatt
gentle pastels
mothers and their daughters
living lives of peaceful days.
So tender each mark
pastel colors of grace.

Sculptures of mothers and daughters
made from bronze
cast forever
defining the sentiment
forever to last
forever token of caring.

Mothers reading to daughters
Humpty Dumpty illustrations
Mary Poppins
and Disney on Ice.
Fairy dust on pillows
Hans Christian Anderson
now Harry Potter Tales
lovingly read
to daughters by their mothers.

Teen age years come and gone
girls meeting the women they would become.
How quickly it all did pass.
Now with babes of their own
creating poses like Mary Cassatt.

These days to be treasured
flowers in a jar
or pressed between a book of poetry
remembered and written down.
These kind days
leaves on trees
soft breezes sing
childrens chatter remembered
little girls on swings.
Through tears
longing to take those day back again.
Keep them safe inside your heart.
Artwork of mothers and daughters
tokens of glorious days
held close.

Sculptures of mothers and daughters
tender works of art
cast to be remembered
this day
this loving day
held close.