StM News

During this season of Advent, as we await the coming of Christ, our sixth and seventh graders have been learning about the tradition of the Jesse Tree in their religion classes with Ms. Betsy Fox ‘82. This tradition is based on the prophecy from Isaiah: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isaiah 11:1).

The custom of creating Jesse Trees originated in the Middle Ages. The ornaments on a Jesse Tree represent the family tree of Jesus. To engage with this tradition, students read ten stories about Jesus’s ancestors, selected one, and designed a symbol to represent that person. They also explained the significance of their chosen symbol to the story. Examples include a ladder for Jacob, an apple for Adam and Eve, a burning bush for Moses, a colorful coat for Joseph, and a field of stars for Abraham.

Once their ornaments were complete, the students presented their explanations and hung their creations on the Jesse Tree in Saints Hall.