Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Judas

The Romans conquered the place in 57 BC. BC and expanded it into a walled city. The city gained importance because it was at the intersection of several important transport routes. During the barbarian invasions, Évora came under the rule of the Visigothic king Leovigild in 584. In 715, the city was conquered by the Moors. During the Moorish rule (715–1165), the town slowly began to prosper again and developed into an agricultural center with a fortress and a mosque. Évora was wrested from the Moors through an attack by Geraldo Sem Pavor ("Gerald the Fearless") in 1165. The town came under the rule of the Portuguese king Afonso I in 1166. It then flourished during the Middle Ages, especially in the 15th century. The official name of the museum is “Museo Nacional Fray Manuel del Cenáculo”. It is located in the old bishop's palace. Virgin and Child with St. Anne / The Adoration of the Magi / The Kiss of Judas Alabaster / early 16th century

La Chaise-Dieu was founded in 1043 by Robert de Turlande. It was named "Casa Dei", from which La Chaise-Dieu developed. From the 11th to the 13th century, the abbey experienced rapid and significant development. When the founder died in 1067, already 300 monks lived here. In the Auvergne La Chaise-Dieu gained importance similar to that of the Burgundian Cluny Abbey. The abbey received many donations from noble families and administered 42 daughter monasteries. Popes who visited the abbey include Urban II, Calixt II, Alexander III. and Innocent II. In 1342, Pierre Roger, who had lived as a monk in La Chaise-Dieu, became Pope in Avignon under the name Clement VI. He financed a new building of the abbey church, in which he was finally buried. The building was completed in 1378 under the pontificate of Gregory XI, a nephew of Clement VI. Since 1516 La Chaise-Dieu, like most other French abbeys, became "in commendam" so the commendatory abbot drew the revenue of the monastery but without fulfilling the duties of the abbot or even residing at the monastery. Calvinist troops looted the abbey in August 1562. After most of the monastery buildings were destroyed by fire in 1695, they were rebuilt by the monks in the decades that followed. In 1786, Cardinal de Rohan, who was involved in the "Affair of the Diamond Necklace" was exiled to La Chaise-Dieu. While the abbey had 40 monks at that time, religious life ended at the beginning of the French Revolution. La Chaise-Dieu is known for the tapestries, once woven to embellish the monks´ choir. They were commissioned by Jacques de Saint-Nectaire and were woven by a Flemish workshop between 1501 and 1518. The collection includes 14 tapestries of which two are different and may have been ordered by the abbot for his personal use. The 12 other tapestries constitute a complete continuation of the Annunciation to the Last Judgment. An inventory prior to the Revolution mentions 18 tapestries, so four tapestries have therefore disappeared. The tapestries were only exhibited during major liturgical feasts. They were rolled up and kept during the troubles during the Wars of Religion and the Revolution. In 2013 the tapestries were removed. They got restored and returned to the abbey in July 2019. I was lucky to see them in August 2019. The "Last Supper". All apostles, but of course Judas, have precious halos, but of course Judas. One of the apostles cleans his teeth with his knife, while another cleans the knife with the table cloth.

La Chaise-Dieu was founded in 1043 by Robert de Turlande. It was named "Casa Dei", from which La Chaise-Dieu developed. From the 11th to the 13th century, the abbey experienced rapid and significant development. When the founder died in 1067, already 300 monks lived here. In the Auvergne La Chaise-Dieu gained importance similar to that of the Burgundian Cluny Abbey. The abbey received many donations from noble families and administered 42 daughter monasteries. Popes who visited the abbey include Urban II, Calixt II, Alexander III. and Innocent II. In 1342, Pierre Roger, who had lived as a monk in La Chaise-Dieu, became Pope in Avignon under the name Clement VI. He financed a new building of the abbey church, in which he was finally buried. The building was completed in 1378 under the pontificate of Gregory XI, a nephew of Clement VI. Since 1516 La Chaise-Dieu, like most other French abbeys, became "in commendam" so the commendatory abbot drew the revenue of the monastery but without fulfilling the duties of the abbot or even residing at the monastery. Calvinist troops looted the abbey in August 1562. After most of the monastery buildings were destroyed by fire in 1695, they were rebuilt by the monks in the decades that followed. In 1786, Cardinal de Rohan, who was involved in the "Affair of the Diamond Necklace" was exiled to La Chaise-Dieu. While the abbey had 40 monks at that time, religious life ended at the beginning of the French Revolution. La Chaise-Dieu is known for the tapestries, once woven to embellish the monks´ choir. They were commissioned by Jacques de Saint-Nectaire and were woven by a Flemish workshop between 1501 and 1518. The collection includes 14 tapestries of which two are different and may have been ordered by the abbot for his personal use. The 12 other tapestries constitute a complete continuation of the Annunciation to the Last Judgment. An inventory prior to the Revolution mentions 18 tapestries, so four tapestries have therefore disappeared. The tapestries were only exhibited during major liturgical feasts. They were rolled up and kept during the troubles during the Wars of Religion and the Revolution. In 2013 the tapestries were removed. They got restored and returned to the abbey in July 2019. I was lucky to see them in August 2019. In the center - Jesus sold by Judas - Matthew 26:14 -15 "Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver." Left - Joseph sold by his brothers - Genesis 37:28 "So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt." Right - Samson sold by Delilah - Judges 16:4 - 5 "Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.”

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church of today was erected in the early 12th century. St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside, created by an unknown artist around 1109 to 1114. It is still almost complete. Only very few of these works have survived the times in Europe. The only such ceiling I have ever seen is in St. Michael, Hildesheim, Germany. The ceiling here consists of 153 square panels (9 rows of 17 panels) of about 90 cm sides. They were painted upright and then inserted into the ceiling. Actually the painting reads like a map. There is a kind of frame, as the 48 panels outer panels (apart from the corner fields) show scenes on water - an ocean. The corners have angels, that may symbolize the four winds (directions). The "inner" 105 panels depict scenes on "land". Here themes are the life of Jesus - and Saint Martin, whom the church is devoted to. The "Entry of Christ into Jerusalem" (= "Palm Sunday"). Judas Iscariot and the thirty pieces of silver? Is Jesus discussing with Judas? On the right the "Washing of the Feet".

The Pistoia Cathedral (aka "Cattedrale di San Zeno") is located just opposite the octagonal baptistery. The cathedral dates back to the 10th century, but in 1108 it was severly damaged by a fire and had to be rebuilt. In 1145 an altar was dedicated here to Saint James the Great (aka St. Jaques) by Bishop Saint Atto, who had brought a relic to Pistoia from Santiago de Compostella. In 1202 another fire damaged the cathedral again. In 1274-1275 the aisles were covered with vaults, but further damage was caused by an earthquake in 1298. In 1939 during the restoration two reliefs were discovered. They had been used (sculpted side down) as paving tiles. Since then many theories were discussed about the origine. Most likely they have been parts of a medieval pulpit. Some scholars claimed already before these reliefs were discovered, that a pulpit created by Guido da Como 1199, existed in the cathedral upto the 15th century. Then it vanished without a trace... More recently the reliefs were attributed to the workshops of Guglielmo (Pisa Cathedral) or his follower Gruamons (with Adeodatus and Enrigus) who worked at nearby Sant'Andrea. Here is the "Last Supper" and the "Betrayal of Jesus" The top line of the inscription over the Last Supper is not visible from here (sorry). The "complete inscription reads "CENANS DISCIPULIS XRISTVS DAT VERBA SALVA(N)S / CENA NOVA TRIBVIT LEGE(M) UETERE(M) QVOQ(UE) FINIT" ~ During the Supper Christ says to the Disciples redemptive words / The Last Supper he acknowledges the old law and puts them to an end. The inscription over the "Betrayal of Jesus" reads "FUSTIB(US) ET GLADIIS IUDA XR(ISTU)M PRENDERE QV(A)ERIT" ~ With sticks and swords Judas tries to capture Jesus

The Monasterio de San Pedro el Viejo ("Saint Peter the Old") is a former Benedictine monastery built within the 12th century. A church had existed here (built on the place of a Roman temple) since Visigothic times and even, when the Moors hold Huesca, this church was in use. Christian troops conquered Huesca in 1096 and from 1117 on Benedictines with obvious ties to Cluny reconstructed the church and erected a monasterio here. Of course the Benedictian monastery needed a decent cloister. This got erected adjoining the church around 1140. Many of the capitals, carved in the style of the "Master of Agüero" (aka "Master of San Juan de la Peña"), are creations done during the renovation of San Pedro el Viejo end of the 19th century. Most of the capitals seen from this pov are "mint" and probably not even 150 years old. Here (from left) are Judas Kiss ("the Betrayal"), the Flagellation, and Veronica with the veil. The legend of the "Veil of Veronica" had reached the catholic church from the east within the 12th century.

"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 have uploaded a "total overview" earlier and will now focus on some details. Six large and slim figures flank the entrance doors. The three on the right side are men. Saint Peter (key), Saint Paul (bible) and (much smaller) Judas, who has a rope around his neck. The sculptures remind on some, that can be found on early gothic cathedrals in France (eg Chartres).

The Abbey of Sainte-Marie-des-Dames was the first Benedictine abbey for women Charente-Maritime. It was founded in 1047 by Geoffrey II (aka "Geoffrey Martel") and his first wife Agnes of Burgundy. Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of Richard Lionheart, was a great donor here. The place, where the abbey got erected, was a Roman cemetery. An Oratorium, over the tomb of Saint Pallais, existed here already in the 6th century. Saintes was a major halt for the pilgrims following the Via Turonensis, so the abbey developed well, during the first centuries. During the 100 Year´s War the abbey got ruined, reconstructed later, it got severely damaged by Huguenots during the Wars of Religions. The abbey existed up to the end of the 18th century. After the French Revolution the buldings served as prison and from 1808 on as a barracks. The church was used as a stable for the horses of the cavalry. The barracks existed still in the early 1920s, before the renovations were done. In 1938 the abbey church "Sainte-Marie" got consecrated again. This is the right arc. The main archivolt depicts 24 men, sitting on chairs. Their lower shanks are visible from underneath. Twelve of these have a kind of board on their knees, what may stand for a table. So the most historians see this (despite large number of people) as the Last Supper. Most participants have halos. Christ ("cross nimbus") passes the bread to Judas (no nimbus!)