Josephology Part 12 Addendum
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Since this was a period of chaos, it was a period when pastors and teachers were anxiously looking for ways to order and stabilize the situation: if the heretics are attacking the Virgin Mary, we must intensify our Marian devotions and theology; if they are denying the Real Presence...."
J's observation above reminded me of this statuary next to the altar of St. Ignatius at Chiesa Gesù in Rome, showing the Virgin burning the protestant heretics with the Cross and Holy Eucharist. While agreeing with the sentiments, I wasn't quite sure what to make of its execution....
The images are my own.
Ruben's "triumphal" works are similar in theme and tone (http://getty.edu/art/exhibitions/spectacular_rubens/index.html).
ReplyDeleteWe must remember that in those days Protestants were actually doing that and worse to Catholics in England and the Netherlands. This has nothing to do with the occasional fundamentalist American trad from the bible belt who thinks it would be a good idea to bring the inquisition back to "burn heretics at the stake".
ReplyDeleteI always thought this was a personification of Faith. Is there some visual clue that it's meant rather as the B. V. M.? Just curious.
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