I AM the Door

Christ said: "I AM the Door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (John 10:9) Above the door depicted here is Christ. He is the gate to Heaven and provides the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is surrounded by peacocks and other birds, vines, and wheat and flowers. Major motifs are the wheat and vines, speaking about Christ as the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and the Vine (John 15:5). Bulgarian church woodcarvings inspired this work. From both wings of the peacocks come scrolls with Psalm 27:4 inscribed to praise the Temple of God in a physical and an allegorical sense, to encourage us to be faithful and to beautify the Temple with our prayers and beautiful thoughts, praise, and acts of love.