Portraits, Graffiti, and Tattoos. Visual Indicators of Individual Piety on the Columns and Walls of the Nativity Church in Bethlehem

A comparative analysis of visual indicators—portraits, graffiti, and tattoos—reveals how these elements serve as strategies for pilgrims to metonymically incorporate themselves into the sanctity of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The study highlights the significance of supplicant images from the 12th century, offering new interpretations of their functions within performative contexts. Additionally, it examines the exponential increase in graffiti post-Crusader period, suggesting these markings aim to inscribe and perpetuate the embodied experience of the divine sphere in this sacred locus. The research employs a methodical approach to analyze these visual indicators, providing insights into their roles and impacts on individual piety.

(Ed.). (2026). Portraits, Graffiti, and Tattoos. Visual Indicators of Individual Piety on the Columns and Walls of the Nativity Church in Bethlehem. Writing in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, 133–153. https://doi.org/10.1484/m.celama-eb.5.151595