medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
From: Jim Bugslag <[log in to unmask]>
>...I particularly like "because some enter from each people" in
relation to the regathering of the scattered Israelites, particularly if it
were possible to associate the "people" entering from the north with the
Levites. Although very little is known about how the various portals of
Chartres Cathedral functioned, it would appear that the west portal was used
principally for liturgical processions and entrances, while those on the
transepts functioned differently.
>The north transept portal was ....next to the bishop's palace and most of the
canons houses....
>I would like to be able to prove...that the south transept was the principal
lay entrance to the cathedral, and having different "peoples" using the north
and south doors is an interesting
reference in this respect.
although i'd be hard pressed to "prove" it, that's pretty much my feeling
about the associations and uses of the North & South, respectively.
i don't know that i would say that "most of the caonns' houses" were in the
North part of the close --they were, i believe, spread out all over the area
immediately surrounding the cathedral-- the Bishop's presence in the Eastern
part of the North close was certainly dominent there.
the Bishop's palace, just North of the apse of the cathedral, is marked "5" on
this plan
http://ariadne.org/cc/prache/prache_cover.jpg
as can be seen from the above and in this rather imaginative reconstruction of
the town
http://ariadne.org/cc/prache/prache_cover.jpg
the North close is considerably smaller --and much mmore "intimate" in feeling
than the South.
in the bookcover reconstruction, the latter is filled with all sorts of market
stalls
http://ariadne.org/cc/prache/prache_S_close.jpg --expand the .jpg
which, to some extent, reflects the scant documentary evidence.
the South close "begins" at the Southwest tower, across from which was the
"Hotel-Dieu", a comparatively public, somewhat "secular" building
http://ariadne.org/cc/prache/prache_hotel_dieu.jpg --the long, narrow building
with the pointed arch portal
compared to the North, the South close is really quite Expansive; though not
quite as large and open as imagined in this 18th c. engraving
http://ariadne.org/cc/exterior/nd-so-18th-c.jpg
as to "door symbolism", here's an interesting text i recently came across,
from the introductory lines of an 11th c. fabrication which purports to be an
act of King Lothair (died 986) for the abbey of St. Peter of Chartres:
"In the name of the holy and indivisible Trinity, that is of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit: Lothair, king by divine favor. Just as to those
pondering in the present age the beauty of the tabernacle of the glory of God,
the entrance is disclosed into the house of the eternity of life itself;
likewise to those who storm this one door, also undoubtedly will lie open
another, the doorway into the hell of the underworld of perpetual death; for
hope in the former we rejoice faithfully without yet joining the invisible
truth; in regard to the other we gain resolution by holding fast." (CSP 1:81).
(In nomine sanctae et individuae Trinitatis, Patris videlicet Filii et
Spiritus sancti. Clotharius, propicia divinitate rex. Sicut de tabernaculi
gloriae Dei decore in praesenti saeculo cogitantibus, in domo aeternitatis
ipsius vitae reseratur aditus, ita ejusdem pervasoribus procul dubio in
inferni baratro perpetuae mortis patebit ingressus; huic spei fideliter
inconbendo invisibili veritate gaudemus, huic inherendo firmamur.)
c
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|