Medieval Christian pilgrims

One of the medieval characteristics of Middle Age Christians is their willingness to visit the Holy places of their religion, may these be in Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela or in less known places. There were written route guides and some assistance was provided to pilgrims. Several journey reports were left by these pilgrims.

Uma das características medievais dos Cristãos da Idade Média reside na vontade de visitar os lugares Santos da sua religião, fossem em Jerusalém, em Santiago de Compostela ou noutro local menos conhecido. Escreveram guias sobre o percurso, havia alguma assistência aos peregrinos e vários deixaram relatos.

Anonymous (15th century)-'John Lindgate and pilgrims on the road to Canterbury'-miniature    London-British Library Royal ms 18 D II, fol. 148 (the siege of Thebes, 1455-1462)

Anonymous (15th century)-'legend of St James the Greather: the arrival of the pilgrims at the lodging-house'-oil on wood-(1575-1485)    Hungarian altarpiece

Anonymous (15th century)-'St Mary Magdalene and pilgrims'-miniature    Paris-BNF FR ms 50, fol 342 (Speculum Historiale, 1463)

Anonymous (15th century)-'pilgrims meeting St Peter'-miniature    Paris-BNF FR ms 50, fol 342v (Speculum Historiale, 1463)

Friedrich Herlin (1435-1500)-'meal of Compostela pilgrimage'-oil on wood-(1462-1465)

Christian marriage

The betrothed believe that it was God who created the institution of marriage, a union between men and women for the purpose of a life in common. That is why the ceremony is blessed by a divine representative.

Os nubentes acreditam que partiu de Deus a instituição do casamento, união de homens e mulheres para vida em comum. Por essa razão a cerimónia é abençoada por um representante divino.

Vasily Wladimirowitsch Pukirev (1832-1890)-'the unequal marriage´'-oil on canvas-1862   Moscow-The Tretyakov Gallery

Pietro Longhi (1702-1765)-'the sacramental of marriage'-oil on canvas-ca 1755   Private collection

Ilya Yefimovich Repin (1844-1930)-'wedding of Nicholas II and Grand Duchess Alexandra Fedorovna'-oil on canvas-1894   St Petersburg-The State Russian Museum

William Hogarth (1697-1764)--'marriage of Stephen Beckingham and Mary Cox'-oil on canvas-ca 1729   New York-Metropolitan Museum of Art

Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898)-'the marriage of Tristram and Iseude Les Blanche Mains'-stained glass panels   Bradford-Art Galleries

Christian scenes by Abraham Gorkum Bloemaert (1564-1651)

The Dutch painter Abraham Gorkum Bloemaert (1564-1651) spent much time working with religious motifs dedicated to Christianity.

O pintor Holandês Abraham Gorkum Bloemaert (1564-1651) ocupou-se largos anos de temas religiosos dedicados ao Cristianismo.

Abraham Gorkum Bloemaert (1564-1651)-'Emmaus disciples'-oil on wood-1622 Antwerp-Musée Royal des Beaux-Arts

Abraham Gorkum Bloemaert (1564-1651)-'the rest on the flight into Egypt'-oil on canvas-ca 1600 Amsterdam-Rijksmuseum

Abraham Gorkum Bloemaert (1564-1651)-'parable of the wheat and the tares'-oil on canvas-1624 Baltimore-Walters Art Museum

Abraham Gorkum Bloemaert (1564-1651)-'landscape with the ministry of John the Baptist'-oil on canvas-ca 1600 Amsterdam-Rijksmuseum

Abraham Gorkum Bloemaert (1564-1651)-'sermon of Saint John the Baptist'-oil on canvas-ca 1620 Nancy-Musée des Beaux-Arts

Christian Cathedrals (Catedrais Cristãs)

In addition to being local daily worship centres, cathedrals were the centre of a lot of pilgrimages during medieval times. The most important pilgrimages to these places had specific routes with local overnight stay.


Além de locais de culto diário eram centros de numerosas peregrinações na época medieval. As peregrinações mais importantes a esses lugares possuíam itinerários específicos com locais de pernoita.

Axel Hermann Haig -'St. Fine Barre's cathedral, Cork'-oil on canvas 1862 Private collection

Boris Mikhaylovich Kustodiev (1878-1927) -'cathedral of Kazan'-oil on canvas

Fyodor Alexeyev (1753-1824)-'the Cathedral Square in Moscow Kremlin'-oil on canvas

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796-1875)-'Chartres cathedral'-oil on canvas-1830 Paris-Musée du Louvre

Claude Oscar Monet (1840-1926)-'Rouen cathedral, full sunlight'-oil on canvas-1894 Paris-Musée du Louvre

Inferno cristão (Christian Hell)

No Antigo Testamento vem mencionado nos livros de Job e dos Salmos. Surge com alguma frequência nos Evangelhos de São Mateus e São Lucas. A ideia de lugar de condenação eterna tem sido assunto controverso entre os vários núcleos cristãos.

In the Old Testament it is mentioned in the books of Job and the Psalms. It arises with some frequency in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The idea of the place of eternal damnation has been a subject of controversy among various Christian centers.

Herrad von Landsberg-'Hell'-illumination-ca 1180 Hortus Deliciarum

Jean Limbourg (active 1400-1415)-'hell'-illumination-(1413-1416) Chantilly-Musée Condé (Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, Ms 651, folio 108r)

Hans Memling (ca 1430-1494)-'Hell'-oil on wood-ca 1485 Strasbourg-Musée des Beaux-Arts

Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni di Filipepi or Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510)-'Hell (Dante; Inferno, canto XVIII)'-colored drawing in parchment-1480 Berlin-Staatliche Museen

William Adolph Bouguereau (1825-1905)-'Dante and Virgil in Hell'-oil on canvas-1850 Paris-Musée d'Orsay