Although some kids grow up with the Jesse Tree, I was an adult when I first came across one. In truth, I discovered it accidentally while looking into Advent activities for my class. I was instantly captivated and questioned why this tradition had never been familiar to me before.

Lacking a manual or guidelines, I had to navigate through the process independently. However, energized like someone in her twenties, I crafted a collection of ornaments over a weekend using various scraps from my mother-in-law’s sewing supplies. That December, I recounted a Bible story from memory each morning during “circle time,” and my students alternated in decorating our classroom Christmas tree with my handmade ornaments.

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What is the Jesse Tree?

Simply put, the Jesse Tree is the family tree of Jesus. It follows the ancestry of Christ back to Adam and Eve. In other terms, the Jesse Tree links the Old Testament with the New. It illustrates to us (and to our offspring) that God has been orchestrating since the fall of Adam and Eve to reconcile us to him through the Incarnation of his Son, Jesus.

The Jesse Tree merges visual artistry with narrative components similar to other family trees. Jesse Trees originated during the Middle Ages, a period when the majority of individuals could not read and the advent of the printing press had yet to distribute Bibles widely to the Catholic congregations. Religious beliefs were predominantly communicated through oral tradition. Via paintings, stained glass displays, and sculptures, theologians and artists collaborated to impart the narrative of salvation history to men and women of all ages through the Jesse Tree. The representations of individuals and the associated symbols played a crucial role in conveying the Biblical narratives by correlating images with the text. The Jesse Tree window located in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres in Chartres, France is an especially renowned and grand illustration, although many Jesse Trees were humbler in size to match the setting of a simple parish church.

Using paintings, stained glass panels, and sculptures, theologians and artists collaborated to educate individuals of all ages about the narrative of salvation history through the Jesse Tree.

The Jesse Tree derives its name from the father of King David, a rather lesser-known character of the Old Testament who rose to significance with the prophecy of Isaiah, which declares that “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit” (Is 11:1). The passage alludes to the arrival of the Messiah stemming from the lineage of King David. Apart from this subtle mention, our understanding of Jesse as a historical character primarily derives from Jewish tradition, which offers significantly more insights than those presented in the Bible.

Tradition informs us that Jesse was a highly regarded individual whose profound faith was acknowledged throughout his life. His connection with the prophet Samuel — the individual who would designate David as king — highlights his prominence in the community. Nevertheless, even Jesse had further lessons to grasp. He did not comprehend Samuel’s anointing of his youngest son, overlooking the fact that God does not evaluate by external looks but instead “sees the heart.”1 Sam 16:7). His reference as the root of Christ’s lineage serves as a reminder to us today that the devout can still explore further.

Detail of the Jesse Tree on a fresco on the exterior of Moldovita Monastery in Romania Wikimedia Commons/Alex Moise