Biblical Histories of the Old Testament

God made two great lights: the Sun, the Moon, and the stars, so that they might rule over the day and the night. Genesis 1. original Latin: "Fecit Deus duo luminaria magna, Solem, Lunam, & stellas, ut praeeſſent diei et nocti. Gen. 1."

A woodcut illustration depicting the Fourth Day of Creation from Genesis. In the center stands a bearded figure representing God, crowned with a papal-style miter or tiara and surrounded by a radiant halo. He raises his right hand toward a personified sun with a human face in the upper right. In the upper left, a crescent moon and several stars are visible. The setting is a landscape with a tree behind the figure and rolling hills in the background.

God created the sun, moon, and stars in the heavens to rule over day and night, and to separate the darkness from the light. Genesis 1. original German: "Gott erſchüff die Sonnen / Mon / vnd Geſtirn am himel / Tag vnd Nacht zu regiern / vnd finſternuß vom liecht zu vnderſcheyden. Gen j." The word "erſchüff" is an archaic spelling of "erschuf" (created), and the forward slashes (/) serve as early punctuation, similar to modern commas.

Luminaria (Latin for "lights" or "lamps." In theological contexts, this refers specifically to the celestial bodies—the sun and moon—designated by God to mark time and provide light to the Earth.)

Papal Tiara (The triple-tiered crown shown on God in the illustration. This was a common artistic convention in the 15th and 16th centuries to visually represent God’s status as the "King of Kings" and the supreme authority over the earthly Church.)