Monreale cathedral, south wall of the presbytery, mosaic of St. Mary Magdalen
St. Mary Magdalen stands with St. Benedict and St. Hilary of Poitiers as the westernmost figure in the lower register of the south wall of the presbytery, the short bay before the apse, in Monreale cathedral. St. Mary Magdalen was a follower of Jesus, mentioned in all four Gospels: she was freed from seven demons by Jesus, was present at the Crucifixion, visited his tomb after his death, and was – in John’s Gospel (20:14-18) – the first to see the resurrected Jesus. In the Latin church, she was identified and conflated with other women mentioned in the Gospels. Later legends alleged that she had travelled to Marseilles in southern France and evangelized the region of Provence. Her relics were claimed by an important shrine at Vezelay in Burgundy. At Monreale, she stands across from St. Agatha, patron saint of Catania, a bishopric subject to Monreale in 1183. The monastery of Corleone, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen, was given to Monreale in 1177, and that partly explains her prominence in Monreale and her “pairing” with St. Agatha.
Date: 1180s
D'Emilio photo archive no. s19780914_1990uGalleries:Italy 1180s, Mosaic, Mosaics, interior, Monreale cathedral, St. Mary MagdalenKeywords:St. Mary Magdalen, jar, veilPhotographer: Dr. James D’EmilioDate of Photo:Device Make: NikonDevice Model: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 5000 EDOriginal Dimensions: 3634×5350Picture Orientation: PortraitGPS Coordinates:Picture Number: 22090
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