Altar – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inPoetryTags:
South Entrance, Church of Santa Maria la Real, Aranda de Duero, Burgos Licensed image credit: © Jose Miguel Sanchez | iStock

built of hewn stories

an altar on the doorpost

offers up praise

*

The featured doors are the double wood-sculpted panel doors of the South facade (Main Entrance) of the Church of Santa María la Real, Aranda de Duero, Burgos Spain (circa 15th to 16th century).

Created to appear as an altar on the facade, the south portal of The Church of Santa María la Real’s deep-set Gothic Isabelline stone arch protects the almost three-dimensional stone figures depicting the life, passion, and ascension of Jesus.

Sculpted figures on the lower portions of the entrance stonework surrounding the doors depict the Church fathers, the apostles, regional monarchs, and local saints.

A middle column (mullion) upon which Mary with baby Jesus rests separates the featured doors’ two walnut wood valves— built from 1506 to 1515.

Panels of carved wood reliefs illustrating the passion of Christ and the Apostles adorn the two walnut wood doors: Kindly Note: *The carvings you see in the image on these doors are replicas. The originals are housed inside for safekeeping and are displayed in the museum.

Trivia #1:

The legend of the young boy…

So, as the legend goes…

In the Middle Ages, a devastating plague swept through Aranda de Duero.

A devoted local priest prayed fervently to the Virgin Mary to help the people. He visited the sick, again and again…but nothing changed.

Then one day, as the legend goes, a young boy almost a child suddenly appeared at the priest’s doorstep asking for a place to stay, to which request the priest offered the young boy lodging in his home.

Then, the young boy offered to assist the priest on his rounds to minister to the city’s sick.

According to the legend everyone in the household where the young boy and the priest visited to minister to the sick gradually recovered.

Later, the city folk having regained their strength, traveled en masse to the priest’s residence to thank him and his guest, the young boy.

To their surprise, the young boy had vanished never to return. The city residents recite this legend to this day and refer to the young boy who helped the city, as the mediquín —the healing angel.

Trivia #2: The bell tower predates the Church of Santa María la Real by three centuries. Its former role as a lookout tower on the city wall, no longer required, the lookout tower was repurposed into the church’s bell tower circa the 16th century.

*Fun Fact: Aranda de Duero is the central hub of Spain’s award-winning Ribera del Duero wine-producing region.

Church of Santa Maria la Real, in Aranda de Duero, Burgos. Spain. Licensed image credit: © Unaihuiziphotography | iStock

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Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

74 thoughts on “Altar – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors”

    1. Hi Nigel,
      I like your comment “an entire city, touched by an angel” – Awesome!
      Thank you for your wonderful comment and reading. Blessings to your day.
      May grace and peace abound in joy and be well with you!

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Yes, I agree Scooj! The work and talent to produce this entrance is next level brilliance, in my opinion. I cannot imagine the effort to produce such fine detail in every area of the portal’s appearance. Thank you for your support and generous comments.
      Have a good one. Cheers.

      Liked by 1 person

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  9. It’s a beautiful entrance, Suzette, worthy of your focus in your haiku. I enjoyed reading about the details in the stone and the doors, and I was overcome with a warm feeling reading about the healing angel.

    Liked by 2 people

  13. The entrance of the church is gorgeous, Suzette. Love the facts, and especially the legend. And your haiku very well sums up the features in just few words.

    Liked by 1 person

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  23. I am, as always, in awe looking at something in terms of centuries. Added to that, your wording. I love your choice of “altar,” which has such meaning, and “hewn stories” — so poetic. And the “mediquin” story is a beautiful one. I always want to think that such things can happen. A lovely post, Suzette!

    Liked by 2 people

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