Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: psychostasia

Mölln is a small town (pop. ~20.000) surrounded by lakes. It was founded in the 12th century by Knight Konrad Wackerbarth by resettling Slavic peasants into today's Old Mölln. Around 1210, the settlement got the first fortifications. First time mentioned was the village 1188 in Barbarossa's privilege for Lübeck. Mölln fell to Denmark in 1201 and was granted "Lübische Stadtrecht" (town charter) by King Waldemar II. 25 years later Mölln fell to the Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg in 1227. In 1230 Mölln was mentioned as the youngest parish in the Ratzeburg tithe register. The church, which was probably built around this time, was placed under the patrocinium of St. Nicholas. Mölln was important due to the Old Salt Route, through which the salt produced in the salt mines of Lüneburg was shipped to the harbour of Lübeck. Although situated in the midst of the duchy of Lauenburg, the town was mortgaged to the Hanseatic town of Lübeck, which ruled Mölln from 1359 to 1683. St. Nicolai, the parish church, is located on the highest point, overlooking the town and the seas around. The construction started probably at the end of the 12th century. The oldest parts can be attributed to the Brick Romanesque period, the south nave to the Brick Gothic period. The choir room was probably finished around 1217, when the Bishop of Ratzeburg held his first synod here. In the 15th century, the church underwent alterations: in 1470/71, the south nave was extended and in 1497, the present baptistery and the sacristy were added. Some of the neoGothic "new" frescoes got removed. The remaining medieval ones are very interesting. The "weighing of souls" (= psychostasia). Archangel Michael holds the scale. The devils try to hold the scale down. Note the musician.

The "Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Bourges" was erected as a replacement for an 11th-century structure. The construction started probably in the last quarter of the 12th century, around the same time when the builders and bricklayers started in Chartres. The choir of the cathedral was in use by 1214, the nave was finished 1255. The cathedral was consecrated in 1324. The cathedral covers a surface of 5,900 m². The nave is 15 metres wide and 37 metres high, the inner aisle is 21.3 metres high. There are no transepts, but two aisles on either side forming a double ambulatory around the choir. The cathedral retains many of its original stained-glass windows, which dates from about 1215. This window depicts the "Last Judgement".

Maria Gail is an important center of pilgrimage in Carinthia since centuries. It is locally claimed, that Langobardian missionaries may have founded Maria Gail within the 6th century. The church was mentioned the first time in 1136. The once massive Romanesque church got enlarged (in Gothic style) between 1400 and 1450. In 1478 the church got severely damaged by Turkish troops during the Ottoman incursions. It got rebuilt and re-consecrated in 1486. During a renovation in 1950 late Romanesque frescoes (13th.) were discovered under the plaster along the walls of the nave. Fixed onto the southern outer wall outise are some Romanesque scupltures, that probably originate from the preciding church, that got ruined by the Turkish troops. These two angels belonged once to a large "Last Judgement"-group. The right one blows the horn, while the left one is (smiling!) Archangel St. Michael, who holds the scale for the "Weighing of the Souls".

Oberwinterthur is since 1922 part of Winterthur. The parish church St. Arbogast is located on a "church hill", where in Roman times the settlement "Vitudurum" was established. Archeologists have excaveted much of the Roman "vicus", that had its center, where the church is now. It is proven, that already in the 1st century houses existed an a street was built. During the Alamanii invasions, the place got fortified. The date of the construction around 294 AD is documented by an inscription stone. At the same place the predecessor building of the St. Arbogast was erected in the 6th/7th century. The dedication to Saint Arbogast of Strassburg may link this church to Frankish king Dagobert I, the last of the Merovingians. The church of today was erected probably in the end of the 12th century. Here is the Romanesque nave. The frescoes were created in the early 14th century. Here is the "Weighing of souls".

A church is known in Mélas (now part of Le Teil), located at the Roman road connecting Lyon and Nîmes, since merovingien times. A noble lady named Fredegonde founded a nunnery in Mélas end of the 6th century, dedicated to Saint-Étienne and Saint Saturnin. Today´s church is younger. It consists out of three parts built in different times. The oldest part is an octogonal chapel, dated the the 9th/10th century (see previous uploads). Two of the three aisles were erected in the 12th/13th century. Here are some Romanesque capitals. This capital depicts the "Weighing of souls".

The site was once a (probably Roman) cemetery. A church, dedicated to St. Peter existed here already within the 5th century. This was erected by the local Bishop Achilleo, to house the chains that supposedly once had bound St. Peter. The chains are meanwhile back in Rome and can be seen in San Pietro in Vincoli. "Extra moenia" means, that the church was outside the city walls (= extra muros). The present church was built between the 12th and 13th centuries. It was severely damaged by the Ghibellines in 1329, but was rebuilt in the following decades. The interior was transformed at the end of the seventeenth century - and so by now is Baroque. The facade, decorated with all kinds of reliefs, still is in a good condition. Here are two psychostasia - Weighings of souls! One with a good end - and one with a bad.. On top (left) Saint Peter watches the scale as well as Archangel Michael. Like always, the devil (depicted as a monkey, note the feet) tries to pull down his side of the scale, but there is a scroll, that reads "DOLEO QUIA ANTE ERAT MEUS", what translates to "I grieve because it was mine before". A clearly remorseful confession of the sins. So (further right) Saint Peter unties the rope around the poor soul´s wrists - and the Gates of Heaven will open for him.. Below is a completely different scene. Archangel Michael is leaving the "Weighings of Soul" already, turning his back to the sinner. The devil sitting on the sinner holds a scroll, but this is empty. The second devil (note the hoofs) is already pulling the sinner´s hair. Soon he will be thrown in the large vessel to the right, the mouth of hell, where the legs of another sinful soul still stick out.

"Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay" is a church outside of Aulnay, in the center of an old graveyard. The setting has not changed for centuries. For the pilgrims of the 12th century this church was a major halt - and it still is for all the tourists... A predecessing church „Saint-Pierre-de-la-Tour“ had been here, that, when the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella got more and more popular, was obviously too small, as Aulnay was conveniently situated between Poitiers and Saintes on the Via Turonensis. A new, larger church was needed, so the place was handed over to the chapter of the cathedral in Poitiers. The canons then probably planned this church, that was erected from about 1130/1140 on. "Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay" (here seen from east) is a gem of the "style saintongeais". For Peter Strafford ("Romanesque Churches Of France") this is "one of the best examples of late Romanesque architecture in what used to be Aquitaine". Seen here is the "Weighing of souls". Archangel Michael holds the scale, while two evil devils try to pull down one side of it. I have uploaded many photos already taken during previous visits. So I will now add only a few.

Conques is a popular stop for all pilgrims traveling the Via Podiensis. This is a treat after having crossed the harsh Aubrac. I had started in Geneva in 2008 and I still remember my feelings, when I reached Conques after some weeks. A tiny convent existed here already in the 8th century. This grew into a very successful monastery, after the relics of St. Foy arrived in Conques through theft in 866. The relics were stolen by a monk from Conques, who had posed as a loyal monk in Agen for years. The arrival of the relics of St. Foy caused the pilgrimage route to shift to Conques. As the existing church was too small for all the pilgrims, a new, much larger church had to be constructed. It was completed by the end of the 11th century. As a large pilgrim´s church it had an ambulatory with five radiating chapels. A century later galleries were added over the aisle and the roof was raised over the transept and choir to allow people to circulate at the gallery level. This can still be done for an hour in the evening and is - absolutely breathtaking! The "main attraction" is probably the tympanum, a detail is seen here. The "Last Judgement" was carved around 1130 - and tells many stories. Here are the doors to heaven - and hell.

Waiting in line again in front of the western facade of Notre Dame. The cathedral had been erected between 1163 and 1250. Then the transepts seemed old fashioned and got rebuilt. This was finally done in 1363. This facade had been completed in 1225, the towers and the rose window in 1250. At that time Saint Denis was already 60 years old - elegant Laon about 10 years. In 1793 the cathedral was dedicated to the Cult of Reason, later to the Cult of the Supreme Being, before is was just used as a warehouse for the storage of food. Here is the main portal, well restored after the Huguenots and the sans-culottes´ vandalism. The nearby portal of the Sainte Chapelle (previous uploads) looks like a simplified copy of this.

The Sainte-Chapelle ("Holy Chapel") was part of the Palais de la Cité, residence of the French Royals between 10th and 14th century. The chapel was built, to house Louis IX's vast collection of relics, including the Crown of Thorns, the Image of Edessa and the point of the "Holy Lance" - and many more prominent relics. Saint Louis (aka Louis IX) had purchased the "Passion Relics" from Baldwin II, unfortunate emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, for 135,000 livres. The money was actually paid to the Venetians, to whom the relics had been pawned. Begun around 1239 and consecrated in 1248, the Sainte-Chapelle is considered among the highest achievements of the Gothic architecture. A fire damaged the chapel 1630, that got restored after that. The chapel suffered its most grievous destruction during the French Revolution, when the steeple got removed and many of the precious reliquaries were melted down. Later the revolutionists tried to sell the ruined building. It was even discussed to knock it down. Reconstruction and restoration was done in the 1840s/1850s. The chapel has two floors, both have a portal. Seen here is the larger one. "The Last Judgement" is a "traditional" theme for 1240. The graves open, a psychostasia in the center between them. The hell is to the right, the heaven to the left. Christ, seated on a throne, flanked by two angels, who held the Crown of Thorns, the "Holy Lance" and the "True Cross". sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr/

There have been five cathedrals on this site. One was destroyed by Visigothic troops mid of the 8th century. The successive cathedral was burnt down by Vikings ("Danes") in 858. The carolingian structure that was erected within the next decades was burnt down in 962 by troops led by Richard I of Normandy (aka "Richard the Fearless", "Richard Sans-Peur"). The rebuilding started again, but whatever was completed got destroyed by a fire, caused accidently, in 1020. The erection of a Romanesque cathedral started and most of the still existing crypt dates back to that building. In 1134, another fire damaged the town and large parts of the cathedral. The towers got repaired and rebuilt and the portal between them got created. Another blaze hit the town in June 1194. The cathedral was burnt down. Construction works started the same year. The western towers and the undamaged western portal ("Portail Royal") got integrated into the new building. The nave was already vaulted in 1220, the transept and the stained windows were completed in 1260. On 24 October 1260, only 66 years after the start of construction, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame was consecrated in the presence of Louis IX of France (aka "Saint Louis", "le Prudhomme"). Since Charles the Bald, Louis the Pious´ son, had given the "Sancta Camisia" to the cathedral in 876. Because of this "Veil of the Virgin" Chartres developed into a very important Marian pilgrimage center in medieval times. The south transept portals were carved between 1225 and 1260, so these works are some decades younger than the northern portals and about a century younger than the Portail Royal. While the carvings there are still in a transition from Romanesque to Gothic style, the works of the South portal are elegant Gothic. The central portal was carved on the theme of the New Testament. Seen here are the trumeau, Christ standing on two lions, and the jamb statues of the right side. Apostles are standing on small workmen.

There have been five cathedrals on this site. One was destroyed by Visigothic troops mid of the 8th century. The successive cathedral was burnt down by Vikings ("Danes") in 858. The carolingian structure that was erected within the next decades was burnt down in 962 by troops led by Richard I of Normandy (aka "Richard the Fearless", "Richard Sans-Peur"). The rebuilding started again, but whatever was completed got destroyed by a fire, caused accidently, in 1020. The erection of a Romanesque cathedral started and most of the still existing crypt dates back to that building. In 1134, another fire damaged the town and large parts of the cathedral. The towers got repaired and rebuilt and the portal between them got created. Another blaze hit the town in June 1194. The cathedral was burnt down. Construction works started the same year. The western towers and the undamaged western portal ("Portail Royal") got integrated into the new building. The nave was already vaulted in 1220, the transept and the stained windows were completed in 1260. On 24 October 1260, only 66 years after the start of construction, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame was consecrated in the presence of Louis IX of France (aka "Saint Louis", "le Prudhomme"). Since Charles the Bald, Louis the Pious´ son, had given the "Sancta Camisia" to the cathedral in 876. Because of this "Veil of the Virgin" Chartres developed into a very important Marian pilgrimage center in medieval times. The south transept portals were carved between 1225 and 1260, so these works are some decades younger than the northern portals and about a century younger than the Portail Royal. While the carvings there are still in a transition from Romanesque to Gothic style, the works of the South portal are Gothic - just like the portal of the Bourges Cathedral, often compared with this. The portal was carved on the theme of the New Testament. Here is the tympanum. In the center of the lintel below, Archangel Michael holds a scale (that is lost). The psychostasia (weighing of souls) is done here. The way to heaven is left, the way to hell to the right. The hellmouth is seen in the corner.

When the church, dedicated to Saint Amans de Rodez, got erected within the 12th century, it was dependent from the abbey Saint-Martin in Tulle (20kms north). It is known, that Humbaud, bishop of Limoges, consecrated a church here in 1094, but at that time the structure cannot have been completed The portal of Saint-Chamant is extraordenary (for a village church). While the tympanum over the doors is undamaged, all capitals are damaged. After the French Revolution some small vandals used their hammers. Not much is left from archangel Michael, who holds the scale at this 'weighing of souls'. The devil on the right is still complete, his mouth is wide open..

"Santa María la Real" is one of the highlights for all people following the "Camino Aragonés" - since about 800 years. The facade is impressing it may take hours, to find out the many details. I stayed an extra day, when I had reached the town, just to see the shadows movig over the carvings. A church did exist here already in 1131 next to the bridge crossing the river Aragon. It was transferred by Alfonso I to the "Knights Hospitaller" (aka "Order of Saint John", later "Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta"). The apse is the oldest part of the structure and probably dates back to that time. The nave and the breathtaking Southern Portal of Santa María la Real were created late 12th/13th century. I uploaded a "total overview" earlier and now will focus more on details. A detail from the right side of the tympan, depicting the Last Judgement. The right side is actually on God´s left side, standing for the evil. - Here is the Weighing of the Souls (psychostasia). A large snake tries to pull down one side of the scale, held by the archangel. Beside the scale is the mouth of the hell, a nude couple is sinking into it. Below are the heads of the apostles, their fading names are written on the arches. It seems that the artist knew the much older bas-relief from the portal in Artaiz (ca. 30kms west), as the hellmouth here has the same structure

A small community of Canons in Chauvigny was founded by the Seigneurs de Chauvigny around 1025. Bishop Isembert I of Poitiers (+ 1047) was a Seigneur de Chauvigny, as well as his sucessor. The erection of the Collegiate church started end of the 11th century. It took about a century to complete the structure. The church was in the center of the heavily fortified stronghold, that has a long history of sieges, lootings, captures and recaptures. The "Cité Médiéval" was in ruins end of the 18th century. Mid 19th century the restauration process started. Since then the interior of Saint-Pierre has this distinctive colour-scheme of white and red. The church is known for the capitals, that are in deed extraordinary. A psychostasia, the "weighing of souls", to the left. Archangel Gabriel holds the scales. To the right a devil tries to cheat, holding down the balance beam. HIS E DIABOLUS is written above the devil. Next to this is a thoughtful prophet labeled BABILONIA DESERT. This probably refers to Revelation 18 : "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!" Actually the prophet looks a bit like the tired, contemplating Joseph, who can often be found near the Nativity scene. And this is near, as to the right is one of the shepherds ("PASTORES"), to whom Gabriel announces Christ's birth (around the corner).

"Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay" is a church outside of Aulnay, in the center of an old graveyard. The setting has not changed for centuries. For the pilgrims of the 12th century this church was a major halt - and it still is for all the tourists... A predecessing church „Saint-Pierre-de-la-Tour“ had been here, that, when the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella got more and more popular, was obviously to small, as Aulnay was conveniently situated between Poitiers and Saintes on the Via Turonensis. A new, larger church was needed, so the place was handed over to the chapter of the cathedral in Poitiers. The canons then probably planned this church, that was erected from about 1130/1140 on. "Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay" is a gem of the "style saintongeais". For Peter Strafford ("Romanesque Churches Of France") this is "one of the best examples of late Romanesque architecture in what used to be Aquitaine". This is one of the capitals, that are all around the apses. Here is a "psychostasia", the "Weighing of Souls", in a totally different, lively style, than the psychostasiae in Saintes, Saujon and Arces. Here two very agressive devils (mouths wide open! Scary teeth!) are trying to manipulate the scale (hold by an angel), as depending on the scale the soul will go to heaven or to hell.

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. The gate at the the wooden stairs, leading to the gallery, was not locked. Though the stairs seemed pretty fragile for my weight, I climbed up. It was well worth the effort. Nobody was up there, just me and a dead pigeon. Most of the capitals were visible from here. There are some very elaborate works of art up on the capitals. Here is the psychostasia, the "Weighing of souls", seen on the previous upload, but, now more detailled. Within the 12th/13th century Saint-Eutrope was the most important church in the area, so the style seen here and the icons will have been very influential. The devil here is dotted with pimples, just like the devil seen on the psychostasia capital in Saujon (30kms west).

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later. After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Eutropius already within the 6th century. When later the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and thousands of pilgrims walked the Via Turonensis each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge. They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt. The basilica-church got completed within the 12th century, but due to the tensions between England and France, Saintes lost its importance for the pilgrims. From 1271 on, the area west of the Charente (incl. St. Eutrope) was English, while the eastern side of Saintes (incl. the Abbaye aux Dames) was French. 1360 Saintes was English, 1404 it was French again. The church had been altered over the centuries. After the French Revolution a large part of the church got demolished, only the southern wall still is Romanesque. Some decades later, the rebuilding and reconstruction process started. Fortunately many of the marvellous carvings were saved and got reused. The gate at the the wooden stairs, leading to the gallery, was not locked. Though the stairs seemed pretty fragile for my weight, I climbed up. It was well worth the effort. Nobody was up there, just me and a dead pigeon. Most of the capitals were visible from here. There are some very elaborate works of art up on the capitals. From right to left: A fight between lions and birds, an icon often seen all over the Saintonge. A lion, hidden in the vines, creeping up on a human (hard to see, only the face can be seen at the corner). A psychostasia, the "Weighing of souls". Within the 12th/13th century Saint-Eutrope was the most important church in the area, so the style seen here and the icons will have been very influential. No wonder that there are three psychostasiae within only 30 kms.