Two Marys:

Two Traditions

The most beautiful image of Mary in the city of Rome is hidden.

This mosaic, dated 650, is the oldest surviving image in Rome of Mary in the apse—the sacred space above the altar.

This mosaic is in St. Venantius Chapel in the Baptistery of the Lateran Palace,

the longtime home of the popes.

No, not that demure mother Mary.The newer altarpiece hides the 7th-century mosaic.

The 7th-century mosaic of Mary is hidden back there.

Today we see only Jesus.

And two angels.And two angels.

Slip behind the altar to see the complete 7th-century mosaic.Mary is in the center, flanked by apostles and popes.

She stood directly above the altar. Her arms were raised.

Pope Clement’s arms were also raised at the altar

in his portrait in old St. Clements basilica in Rome.

Pope Clement wore a pope’s white pallium with a red cross, the pallium still worn by popes today.

Mary also wore a pope’s white pallium with a red cross.

In the 1800s, Giovanni de Rossi published the mosaic.

His illustration shows a red cross on Mary’s pallium.

Today white tesserae have replaced most of the red cross.

Who was this arms-raised Mary leading the men?Mother? Magdalene? Both?

How did we lose this powerful female role model for girls?

Art as Text

By Ally Kateusz

In honor of Deirdre Good