The 15 inch wooden statue is of the Blessed Virgin Mary and was recreated, based off the original, in the mid-fifteenth century. The original statue was destroyed in the 1434 fire. This image is considered miraculous due to its survival during the 1930’s Civil war when aerial bombs that were dropped on top of the shrine within the church never exploded.¹ These bombs are now secured on the shrine’s wall in remembrance of this miraculous event.
The statue has “skirt-shaped cloaks,” which drape the 5.9 foot jasper-detailed pillar that the Virgin Mary and Child are placed upon. These cloaks are known as “Mantos.” These “Mantos” began to be more commonly utilized in the beginning of the sixteenth century.² The intricate gold decorations are representative of the Late Gothic style. The intricate statue consists of 2,836 diamonds cut triangularly, 2725 roses, 145 pearls, 74 emeralds, 62 rubies and 46 sapphires.
The viewer’s eye first goes to the massive halo-like circle behind Mary. The massive halo consists of gold spike-like pieces which are covered with jewels. It has multiple rings which each have their own pattern and design. Mary is holding the Child Jesus on her left arm. Her other arm is holding up her long cloak which is draped around her body. Mary’s gaze seems to be fixated up above her and her child. Christ seems to be looking off in the distance to Mary’s right. The position of Mary’s gaze foreshadows where her son will go once He dies for our salvation. Christ has a dove sitting on his left palm. Doves are very symbolic in the Catholic faith. They not only represent peace, and new life but also the Holy Spirit. According to Matthew 3:16, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove during Christ’s Baptism and rested on him.
Behind the statue are gold stars that are placed in a grid pattern. Both figures are wearing large crowns which seem almost too large to be supported by their heads. Christ is naked which expresses Christ as God made man.³
¹ Our Lady of the Pillar, (University of Dayton, International Marian Research Institute, accessed May 13, 2018), https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/o/our-lady-of-the-pillar.php.
² Our Lady of the Pillar, https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/o/our-lady-of-the-pillar.php.
³ Jean Sorabella, The Nude in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2018) https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/numr/hd_numr.htm.
Experiencing Miraculous Images 