Crucifix

Abstract

In the second chapel in the left nave of Santa Maria in Monticelli in Rome is a highly venerated wooden crucifix (c. 1300). According to church tradition, when Saint Bridget of Sweden was unable to enter the Basilica of Saint Paul (San Paolo Fuori le Mura) due to "bad weather," she venerated this crucifix instead. The crucifix features a sharply turned head, typical of the period's depiction of Christ in agony. This style is characterized by a thinner body hanging lower on the cross, twisted legs, and a dramatic representation of blood, often modelled in the gesso. The sharply turned head adds to Christ’s withering look and allows viewers to meet his gaze. Saint Bridget’s devotion to this crucifix reflects her deep connection to the Passion of Christ, which she wrote about in her work, Revelations of St. Bridget, On the Life and Passion of Our Lord and the Life of His Blessed Mother. In her writings, she vividly and graphically described the blood, suffering, and torment of Christ’s Passion. Originally, this crucifix was covered in polychrome paint, but now its surface is bare, revealing rough, unfinished wood. The wear on the crucifix is likely from its use in Good Friday processions. Its hinged arms, now fixed in place with nails, suggest that the figure of Christ was once lifted off the cross and carried during Mass. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.