Statues - Hither & Thither

Site Search:

Saxon-Sion
Meurthe-et-Moselle
Lorraine

Sion
(Basilique Notre-Dame-de-Sion)

Tympan: Marie reine du ciel

Tympan: Saint Mary Queen of Heaven

The mother of Jesus Christ
(Wikipedia)

1869

Saxon-Sion / Tympan: Marie reine du ciel

Description

Relief in the tympanum of the basilica. The relief shows Mary with child, both crowned, sitting on a throne on a cloud.
On the viewer's right side are the initiators of the pilgrimage to Sion depicted:

Saint Gérard de Toul (d. 994), bishop of Toul (963-994) (Wikipedia). Depicted as a kneeling bishop.
Charles IV de Vaudémont, Duke of Lorraine (Nancy 1604 - Bernkastel 1675), (Wikipedia). Standing and offering his crown to St. Mary.
a Tiercelin monk standing in the background.

and on the left the propagators of the pilgrimage:

Joseph Alfred Foulon (Paris 1823 - Lyon 1893), Bishop of Toul and Nancy, (Wikipedia), kneeling and offering a model of the tower of the basilica.
father Michaux, pastor of Saxon-Sion.
an Oblate of Mary Immaculate juniors holding the bishop's staff.

Depictions of Saint Mary

Saint Mary, as the mother of Jesus Christ, has a central role in the life of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic veneration of her as the Blessed Virgin Mary has grown over time both in importance and manifestation, not only in prayer but in art, poetry and music. She is usually depicted as a beautiful young woman, with a (blue) mantle. In the majority of the depictions she is having the Infant Jesus in her arms or on her lap.
Attributes of Saint Mary:

A crown of 12 stars (Relevation 12:1), sometimes 7 stars.
A royal crown, sometimes also a scepter: Mary Queen of Heaven.
Standing on a globe.
Standing on the crescent moon (Relevation 12:1).
Crushing the serpent (sometimes a dragon) under her feet. The serpent can have an apple in his mouth (Genesis 3:15). A special depiction is where Jesus impales the serpent with a spear-cross.
Flowers: Lily (symbol of virginity and purity), roses (Mary's mystical participation in the Holy Trinity as Heaven's Rose or Mystical Rose), iris or "Sword Lily" (emblem of Our Lady's Seven Sorrows), fleur-de-lis (resembling both the Iris and the Madonna Lily)

The Infant Jesus sometimes has some attributes too:

a crown and/or a royal orb (usually in combination with Mary as Queen of Heaven)
making a blessing gesture

Sources & Information

Ministere de culture, Inventaire général du patrimoine culturel .

Locatie (N 48°25'51" - E 6°5'1") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: frlo067; Photograph: 13 June 2011
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

Your banner here? Click for information.