Statues - Hither & Thither

 

Description

Bronze main door of the Cathedral at the west side.

Text from the leaflet available in the church:

This is named the 'Slovenian' door because it commemorates 1250 years of Christianity among Slovenians. The door is created as a single composition which represents a pre-Christian layer of antique Christianity in Emona, predecessor of Ljubljana, at the bottom. From the base of the door grows the Linden tree, symbol of Christianity in Slovenia, which began with the baptism of the Carinthian princes Gorazd and Hotimir, as well as two centres of Christianization, Maria Saal (St. Modestus) in the north and Aquileia (St. Paulinus) in the west. From the east come holy brothers St. Cyril and Methodius with the book of Slavonic liturgy. Christianity also derives its roots from the activity of religious brothers (capstone from Stična), this is represented by a monk in a scriptorium writing Freising manuscripts, the first text in the Slovenian language. Teutonic knights strengthened the faith and defended the territory, especially in the turbulent 16th century when invasions by the Turks started, by surrounding the churches with encampment walls (Hrastovlje). Peasants suffered because of the Turks and the gentry. This gave rise to peasant revolts, represented by a crowd with scythes, pitchforks and other tools. The rise of Protestantism, which brought books in the Slovenian language, is represented by a hand holding books, above which are shown the bishops who marked the religion of the Slovenians from the 16th century onwards, including Tomaž Hren (17th century), Friderik Baraga and Anton Martin Slomšek (19th century). Above them are crowds descending into the abyss, symbolizing the bloodshed of the 20th century (World Wars I and II). There is a hand with carnations reaching from the crowd towards the image of Pope John Paul II, who observes religious and national history through a window.

Pope John Paul II and bishops Tomaž Hren, Friderik Baraga and Anton Martin Slomšek
Peasant revolt Teutonic knights St. Cyril and Methodius St. Modest baptises Gorazd and Hotimir	Hands with books Riders? Christ Church of Saal Crowd gathering at the Prince's stone St. Paulinus.

Sculptor

• Tone Demšar (Ljubljana 1946 - Ljubljana 1997), Slovenian sculptor (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

• Wikipedia, Stolnica svetega Nikolaja, Ljubljana.
• Stolnica.com, Bronasta vrata v ljubljansko stolnico.

Tags

Locatie (N 46°3'2" - E 14°30'28") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

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