All That She Had

The parable of the widow's mite illustrates piety in its purest form. A widow, depicted here as a young woman in tattered finery, the last vestiges of her privileged former life, offers all that she has to the temple. Her contribution of two small coins may seem small when compared to the lavish donations of the city fathers, but, said Jesus, ". . . this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all she had, even her living." (Mark 12: 43-44) The square halo formed by the window behind the young widow hearkens back to 11th century Christian iconography. At that time, living saints and holy persons were depicted with a square nimbus, or halo, in order to differentiate them from the immortals.