L'Església dels primogènits (Hebreus 12,23)

The Letter to the Hebrews adapts the Jewish eschatological scenario Christologically.The Messianic age is inaugurated with the birth of Jesus and culminates triumphantlyin his resurrection. The enthronement of Jesus at the right hand of Godestablishes the Messianic rule, the final stage on the way to the parousia whichis about to be accomplished with his glorious return. The term ‘firstborn’ usesGentile categories and language to express the Messianic theology of Judaism. Thepre-existence of the Messiah is explained by the original primogeniture of the Son.We argue that the ‘Church of the Firstborn’ is the eschatological community of thefollowers of Christ who actively live the end times, s.me as members in the heightswith their names ‘inscribed in the heavens’ and others as members who are still ontheir way. The ‘Church of the firstborn whose names are inscribed in the heavens’and the ‘Church of the firstborn’ whose names are not yet inscribed in the heavensare both reproduced in the ceiling of the choir where the Capuchins pray in theConvent of Sarrià in Barcelona. A more solemn and spectacular image of discreetCapuchin decoration is found in the church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Rome,where the ceiling represents an exuberant celestial praise in which those who arepresent in the church participate.