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[lady chapel] |
The Lady Chapel in Winchester Cathedral features some wonderful wall paintings. These are the paintings from the top row of the north wall, on the left side of altar, with some links to more detail of the stories from the Cantigas de Santa Maria.
North Wall (Left side of altar) Top Row L-R
1. The hand of St John of Damascus is chopped off but restored by the Virgin Mary.
This is Cantiga CCLXV of the Cantigas de Santa Maria of Alphonso the Wise
2. A cleric who, although a devout worshipper of the Virgin Mary, had led a wayward life and was buried in unconsecrated ground is pitied by Mary and reburied inside the churchyard. As if in thanks a flower springs from his mouth.
This is Cantiga XXIV of the Cantigas de Santa Maria.
3. (Over the door) The Annunciation. The Archangel Gabriel tells Mary that God has chosen her to be the mother of His Son.
There are three Cantigas in honour of the Annunciation (Cantigas CXXIV, CIC and CLXV). Of these, Cantiga CLXV is one of a sequence for all of the major Marian feasts of the period.
4. A robber-knight is rescued from a demon, disguised as one of his servants, because he always said his prayers to the Virgin Mary.
5. The Virgin Mary heals a sick priest.
6. A scene with a knight - very faint and impossible accurately to identify.