Folios 313v – 314r, Gospel of John

Caoimhe Ní Ghormáin
Caoimhe Ní Ghormáin

Manuscripts Curator, Research Collections

1 min read • 1 April 2025

John 7.31-44 describes dissension about Jesus among the people: some say he is Christ, others say this is not possible, as he comes from Galilee. This opening is full of hidden messages in the text of John 7.31-44.

Folio 313v, Book of Kells

Book of Kells. Folio 313v: John

The bowl of the initial Q of Quaeritis (‘You shall seek’) on folio 313v, line 8, is filled with an elaborate cross, a symbol of crucifixion, and the tail of the Q is formed by a lion’s head, with its protruding tongue tied in a knot, outlined in red dots for emphasis. This decorated initial Q has a two-fold message. The elaborate cross in the bowl of the Q alludes to the crucifixion of Christ and his resurrection.

In general, the lion’s head with the tongue is a motif stressing the word of God or Christ. Here the entangled tongue may allude to the cryptic message in the text: ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me, because you cannot go where I will be’.

The gaps between the text such as those on lines 2, 5 and 7 are filled with colourful flourishes such as bunches of yellow grapes.

Folio 314r, Book of Kells

Book of Kells. Folio 314r: John

In lines 9-10 (verse 40) on folio 314r, some of the crowd around Jesus declare hic est uere propheta (‘this is the prophet indeed’). On line 8, a dove with an olive branch in its beak forms the tail of the word Ex above, perching on the word propheta ‘prophet’ two lines down, acting as a commentary on references made by Jesus to the Holy Spirit in the previous verse.

In the last line, the initial letter Q is formed of Greek crosses placed around a saltire cross, acting as a visual defence against those who, it is said wish to apprehend Jesus. On line 15 the abbreviation XPS for Christus ‘Christ’ is emphasised through red infills and by its position on the line.

Explore the artwork

Explore the artwork

Quaeritis

The bowl of the initial Q of Quaeritis (‘You shall seek’) on folio 313v, line 8, is filled with an elaborate cross, a symbol of the crucifixion of Christ.

Lions head

The tail of the Q is formed by a lion’s head, with its protruding tongue tied in a knot. In general, the lion’s head with the tongue is a motif stressing the word of God or Christ.

Dove with olive branch

On line 8, folio 314r, a dove with an olive branch in its beak forms the tail of the word Ex above, perching on the word propheta ‘prophet’ two lines down, acting as a commentary on the references made by Jesus to the Holy Spirit in the verse above.

XPS

On line 15 (folio 314r), ‘xpx’, the abbreviation for Christus ‘Christ’, is emphasised through red infills and by its position on the line.

Greek crosses

In the last line (folio 314r), the initial letter Q is formed of Greek crosses placed around a saltire cross, acting as a visual defence against those who, it is said wish to apprehend Jesus.

Related pages

View All