Dear Margaret, dear colleagues,

in mediaeval apocrypha (basically coming from East) the apocryphal text "Apocryphal oratione of St. John Chrysostom how Michael, chieftan of celestial army defeated Satan" is rather popular. I send a brief citation from old Bulgarian version (the original source is Greek):

"Apocryphal oratione of St. John Chrysostom how Michael, chieftan of celestial army defeated Satan" :
After Gabriel fails to sum up courage to fight with Satan, the Lord forgave Gabriel and again said unto Michael: ‘You were first in the kingdom of Adam, who proceedeth from me, and it is thine today to go down to that vile
antichrist and take from him the heavenly mantle, the crown and the sceptre of angelic orders, which he stole from Me. And divest him of his beauty and glory so that his servants see who the Father is.”(Bulgarskata literatura i knizhnina prez XIII vek, p.151)

Apocryphal text "The Tiberiad Sea":

And God sent Michael to
Satan. And Michael went but was scorched
by Satan and returned to God and said ‘I did
what You sent me to do but the fire of Satan
fell unto me.’… And Michael came and struck
Satan with the sceptre and threw him down
with all his army. And they fell three days
and three nights like drops of rain. (Stara bulgarska literatura.I. Apokrifi, p.32 )

This image is used by Jonh Milton in Paradise lost. In his interpretation Messiah (Christ) is send by God instead Michael:

Paradise Lost, Book VI. The Argument:
Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battel against Satan
and his Angels. The first Fight describ’d: Satan and his Powers retire under Night: He calls a Councel, invents devilish Engines, which in the second dayes Fight put Michael and his Angels to some disorder; But, they at length pulling
up Mountains overwhelm’d both the force and Machins of Satan: Yet the Tumult not so ending, God on the third day sends Messiah his Son, for whom he had reserv’d the glory of that Victory: Hee in the Power of his Father coming to the place, and causing all his Legions to stand
still on either side, with his Chariot and Thunder driving into the midst of his Enemies, pursues them unable to resist towards the wall of eaven; which opening, they leap down with horrour and confusion into the place of punishment prepar’d for them in the Deep: Messiah returns with
triumph to his Father.

Best wishes:

Georgi Vasilev, Ph.D., D.Litt.
Professor of European and Medieval Studies
State University of Library Studies and Information Technologies
Bulgaria, Sofia

From: "Cormack, Margaret Jean" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, April 27, 2012 8:35 PM
Subject: Re: [M-R] St Michael

medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Thanks to all for advice and references on St. Michael! Having been reminded of the simple expedient of Googling,
I also tried Michael and Lucifer and Medieval, and got nice pictures of the fight that took place at the beginning of
time, to balance that of the Last Judgment. Lots of good pictures all round!
Meg

________________________________

From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture on behalf of Tamara Quírico
Sent: Fri 4/27/2012 12:39
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [M-R] St Michael

medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
In the Chruch of Santa Maria Assunta, in Torcello (Venice), there is a mosaic with Byzantine influence, in which St. Michael is shown weighing souls: http://www.art-history-images.com/photo?id=8813

Petrus Christus' Last Judgment is quite similar to the one painted by Van Eyck, today at the Metropolitan, which was painted around 1430s: http://www.casa-in-italia.com/artpx/flem/images/Van_Eyck_Metropolitan_Crucifixion_Last_Judgment.JPG

Best,

Tamara Quírico

2012/4/26 Martin Howley <[log in to unmask]>

    medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture


    That should, of course, be number 5 rather than 6.

    Apologies,
    Martin

    Quoting Martin Howley <[log in to unmask]>:

    > medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
    >
    > Hi, Margret:
    > For your number 6, how about the Polyptych of The Last Judgment made by
    > Roger
    > van der Weyden for Hospices de Beaune. See:
    > http://www.artbible.info/art/large/752.html
    >
    > Best,
    > Martin Howley
    >
    > Quoting "Cormack, Margaret Jean" <[log in to unmask]>:
    >
    > > medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
    > >
    > > Greetings all,
    > > I'm reading an article in which the archangel Michael is fairly
    > prominent,
    > > and in which he is described as, in effect, leading a cavalry charge of
    > > angels against the forces of evil. I am far more familiar with images of
    > him
    > > fighting the devil in the form of a serpent, with a lance/spear as his
    > > weapon. My questions for the list is whether those of you familiar with
    > the
    > > iconography can provide information about either pictures or texts which
    > > depict him:
    > > 1) on horseback
    > > 2) leading an angelic host, whether on horseback or on foot
    > > 3) wielding a sword
    > > 4) wielding a spear or lance
    > > 5) weighing souls
    > > 6) leading souls to heaven
    > > and, of course, any combination of the above!
    > > Thanks in advance,
    > > Meg
    > >
    > > **********************************************************************
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--
Tamara Quírico
Historiadora da arte
http://lattes.cnpq.br/2136677343472870 <http://lattes.cnpq.br/2136677343472870>

Gather ye Rose-buds while ye may,
Old Time is still a flying:
And this same flower that smiles to day,
To morrow will be dying.

Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

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