Here are some photos taken on Christmas Eve when two donkeys – Jethro and Lashes – visited the parish to explain where the cross on their backs comes from.
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The Lowly Donkey in Scripture
The lowly donkey has been used to represent Christ who, like the symbolic donkey, was both meek and mild. The donkey carried the material burdens of the poor, while Christ humbled Himself, and took on a life of poverty, in order to carry the heavy burden of man’s sins. The donkey represents many of the characteristics of the self-abasing Christ: patience, courage, gentleness, peace, and humility.
Because Christ rode upon a donkey during His infancy and during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the donkey has been honoured with the nickname “Christophore” or “Christ-Bearer.” During the early days of Christianity, the teachers of the Gospel sometimes received the same nickname as the donkey to show that they carried the teaching of Christ and assumed His attitude of humility, poverty, and patience.
The donkey is frequently seen in pictures of the holy family during their travels to Bethlehem and Egypt. Tradition holds that God blessed the donkey by marking its back with the shadow of the cross. The top of the cross starts at its neck and runs down its spine. The shorter line of the cross runs along its shoulder blades. The ass and the ox are painted in scenes of the stable at Bethlehem to show that although humans did not recognize their king, these, the least of God’s creatures worshiped Him at His birth. Isaiah foretells this scene when he writes, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: ‘I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me; the ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, My people do not consider’” (Is 1:2-3). Some people believe the donkey in the manger represents the Gentiles, while the ox stands for the Jews.
The donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday is symbolic of the spiritual kingdom of God. Zechariah prophesies, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey” (Zec 9:9). The Messiah riding upon a donkey offers forgiveness and peace with God, whereas Christ mounted upon a horse implies judgment and war.
In French, Italian, and Spanish legends, the donkey Christ rode into Jerusalem was given the image of the cross to wear on its back and shoulders as a reward for its service. Hungarians add that this image was made by Christ’s blood during His crucifixion as it spurted upon the donkey’s back.
The donkey is well known for its stubbornness. Israel was compared to the wild donkey because of their obstinacy (Hosea 8:9). The character of Abraham’s son, Ishmael, was like that of a wild donkey: “He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers” (Gen 16:12 NIV). The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar was “driven from the sons of men” to live among the wild donkeys until he acknowledged that “the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses” (Dan 5:21).
In time, the donkey became a symbol of those reluctant to believe the Gospel story including St. Thomas, the Doubter, who said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:24-25). St. Anthony of Padua, losing his patience with an unbeliever, declared that it would be easier to get a wild ass to worship the Sacrament than to convince him of the truth. To the surprise of the people, a wild ass did approach the Sacrament and kneel worshipfully before it. Many who saw this miracle converted and the kneeling donkey became an attribute of this saint. In the Bible, Samson killed a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass (Judg 15:15). And Balaam, unable to see the Angel of the LORD standing in his path, beat his donkey for turning aside to avoid it. “Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?’” (Num 22:23-28; 2 Pet 2:16).
The law of Moses contained many rules regulating the treatment of asses. One law forbid Israelites to covet their neighbours’ donkeys (Exo 20:17; Deu 5:21). Among other rules, if a donkey was seen straying from his master, or lying in the road under heavy burden, even its master’s enemy was obliged to assist it (Exo 21:33; 22:4, 9-10; 23:4-5; Deu 22:3-4, 10). In addition, the donkey was to enjoy a Sabbath rest (Exo 23:12; Deu 5:14).
In Israel and other early kingdoms, the donkey provided transportation for the poor and the nobility. White donkeys were especially prized. In the Song of Deborah, the wealthy are referred to as those who “ride on white donkeys” (Judg 5:10). To have many donkeys was a sign of wealth (Gen 12:16; 24:35; 30:43; 32:5, 15; Job 1:3; 42:12). In India and China, the donkey was an acceptable vehicle for deities, princes, and heroes.
