Reaching over the crenellated wall of his Roman prison, the Apostle Paul hands a sealed letter to Epaphroditus, who is about to return to his native Philippi. The letter, addressed to the congregation Paul founded in that Greek city, is full of gratitude and affection. He warns the Philippians of “enemies of the cross of Christ,” a phrase that likely inspired the illuminator to include a crucifixion in the scene. The thirteen New Testament letters traditionally ascribed to Paul are critical documents in the early development of Christianity.
Bible, Latin, Northeastern France, last quarter of the thirteenth century, MS M.969, fol. 420v. Purchased on the Fellows Fund in 1976.