Saint Mary Of Egypt and Zosimus
Dublin Core
Title
Saint Mary Of Egypt and Zosimus
Subject
Description
The figures of Saint Mary of Egypt and Saint Zosimus are depicted on both sides of the arch of the sanctuary. Together they make up the Communion of Mary and are dated to the first decoration cycle of Asinou.
Mary used to live a dissolute life for several years in Alexandria but she turned to God at the Holy Sepulchre on the feast day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Following her conversion to Christianity, she decided to live in the desert as an eremite for almost fifty years. However, monk Zosimus found her, offering his mantle to hide her nudity. She accepted his gesture and started telling her story to him. Then she asked him to meet the following year at the bank of the Jordan River in order to receive Communion. So it happened but the year after that, he found her dead at the exact same place and buried her along with a lion.
Mary is depicted with a dark-coloured skin, indication of her long morally corrupt life. The painter also draws her as a skinny figure with wild hair and features, showing her beauty after a long time of fasting and isolation. Her face can be described as wild, an additional sign of her long-lasting estrangement from people.
Saint Zosimus from the other side of the arch holds the chalice and the spoon from which Mary received the Communion, while he stares at her.
This representation of the Communion of Mary at Asinou is one of the earliest depictions of the scene which became a popular theme for ecclesiastical iconographical programmes later on, even though placed in different areas within the naos. Besides that, its location is a paradox yet appropriate for the visual interplay established
Mary used to live a dissolute life for several years in Alexandria but she turned to God at the Holy Sepulchre on the feast day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Following her conversion to Christianity, she decided to live in the desert as an eremite for almost fifty years. However, monk Zosimus found her, offering his mantle to hide her nudity. She accepted his gesture and started telling her story to him. Then she asked him to meet the following year at the bank of the Jordan River in order to receive Communion. So it happened but the year after that, he found her dead at the exact same place and buried her along with a lion.
Mary is depicted with a dark-coloured skin, indication of her long morally corrupt life. The painter also draws her as a skinny figure with wild hair and features, showing her beauty after a long time of fasting and isolation. Her face can be described as wild, an additional sign of her long-lasting estrangement from people.
Saint Zosimus from the other side of the arch holds the chalice and the spoon from which Mary received the Communion, while he stares at her.
This representation of the Communion of Mary at Asinou is one of the earliest depictions of the scene which became a popular theme for ecclesiastical iconographical programmes later on, even though placed in different areas within the naos. Besides that, its location is a paradox yet appropriate for the visual interplay established
Creator
Source
Digital Heritage Research Lab of Cyprus University of Technology
Publisher
Digital Heritage Research Lab of Cyprus University of Technology
Library of Cyprus University of Technology
Date
Contributor
Digital Heritage Research Lab of Cyprus University of Technology
Rights
Απαγορεύεται η δημοσίευση ή αναπαραγωγή, ηλεκτρονική ή άλλη χωρίς τη γραπτή συγκατάθεση του δημιουργού
Relation
https://apsida.cut.ac.cy/items/show/45036
Format
JPG, MP3
Language
en
Type
Identifier
Figure-007
Files
Collection
Citation
Ioannides, Marinos, “Saint Mary Of Egypt and Zosimus,” Αψίδα, accessed April 23, 2024, https://apsida.cut.ac.cy/items/show/45221.