Moradillo de Sedano - San Esteban

Moradillo de Sedano is a small hamlet, about 50kms north of Burgos.
The "Iglesia de San Esteban" was built on a little hill. Following an inscription, the church was completed in 1188. The church has been enlarged during the 14th century, when a Gothic apse was added.

A recently added porch protects the southern portal. Here are the tympanum and the archivolts. Christ (Pantocrator) is seated in the center of an oval mandorla on a sculptured throne (lions). Around him are four angels holding the evangelists´ symbols, flanked by St. Peter and St. Paul. Around the two halfs of the mandorla runs an inscription, that reads "vicit leo de tribu iuda, radix David, alelluia".

There are three archivolts. The outer one has floral patterns, the middle one a mixture of mythical beasts and biblical scenes, while the inner one is populated by the 24 crowned Elders of the Apocalypse. There are twelve on either sides plus one angel in the center.

The center of the middle archivolt depicts from left to right:

Massacre of the Innocents, Annunciation, Visitation, Massacre, Centaur/Sagittarius, Samson, Warrior, Griffin, Massacre, Flight into Egypt.