Chi Rho Page (Folio 34R)

The Chi Rho page is probably the best known of all the pages of Kells. It gets it name from the shortened Greek form of the name of Christ - XPI – and introduces St Matthew's account of the nativity. The three letters form the main image and just two words appear on the page – 'autem' meaning 'now', and 'generatio' meaning 'the birth'.

The page is full of images of people and animals: an otter with a fish, a peacock and two mice tugging at a eucharistic host while a pair of cats with mice on their backs look on. Tiny drops of a pure red lead were used to form backgrounds, outlines and patterns, a style of ornament common in early Irish manuscripts.