Baptismal Fount – Haiku 2025— ThursdayDoors

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inPoetryTags:
Monza Cathedral, Monza Italy. Licensed image credit: © Wirestock | Dreamstime

a portal restored

its lintel a baptismal fount

—a heart with new doors

*

*Featured doors: Newly restored Main Entrance, West Facade, Basilica of Saint John the Baptist (Monza Cathedral), Monza, Italy (the cathedral circa 595, rebuilt: 1360-1396).

The featured doors are two sets of doors:

Green and white Prato marble facade West Entrance, Monza Cathedral, Monza, Italy. Licensed Image credit: © Rndmst | Dreamstime

The outer doors (2020) are of glass and wood design; but, historical photos of the facade from around 1958 show that the Monza Cathedral’s west portal housed two full-length wooden door valves – now protected behind the outer doors a glimpse of the inner doors is below.

A little glimpse of the inner door, Main Entrance Monza Cathedral during the facade’s restoration. Licensed image credit: © Joaquin Ossorio Castillo | Dreamstime

The tympanum, however, has been dated as original to the cathedral’s 14th-century reconstruction.

The tympanum sculptures retell the story of John The Baptist’s baptism of Jesus. The depiction of the event includes the figures of Mary, Mother of Jesus, and the disciples as witnesses to Jesus’ baptism.

Trivia #1: The legend of the talking dove, Monza, Italy.

And so…

As the legend goes, Queen Theodelinda, of the then-powerful Lombard dynasty had made a vow to build a church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, whom she credited as instrumental to her conversion to Christianity.

She had been hoping for an idea for a location for the church she desired to build; but nothing came to mind.

Then one day in 595 A.D., the Queen was horseback riding along the banks of the Lambro River.

Suddenly she and her horse were stopped in their tracks by a white dove (or according to the legend —the dove of the Holy Spirit of God).

And then…

The white dove spoke to her. According to the legend, the dove said, “Now!” To which Queen Theodelinda, realizing the dove meant to inform her that she had found the place to build the church.

And so to the dove, the Queen replied: “Yes.” The dove departed, and soon thereafter Queen commissioned and funded the construction of the first church in Monza.

Queen Theodelinda’s faith, influence and piety were credited with the Lombardy region’s conversion to Christianity.

Trivia #2: The persistent myth of the gilded statue of a hen with her chicks feeding– Monza Cathedral Museum.

As the story goes, after Queen Theodelinda’s remains and her tomb were moved in the 14th century to the newly remodeled Monza Cathedral…

Discovered in her tomb was a gilded silver statue of a hen with her chicks with jewels for eyes feasting on grain.

Modern dating of that statue places its origin around the 6th or 7th century AD.

No records show how this one statue out of all her other treasures found its way into Queen Theodelinda’s tomb! There is apparently also no records to support that the Queen ever received this statue as a gift from anyone.

The statue of the hen and her chicks is on display in the Monza Cathedral Museum (Museum and Treasury of the Cathedral of Monza). An image is below.

Gilded statue of a hen and her chicks, Museum and Treasury of the Cathedral of Monza. Image credit: Carlo Dell’Orto – Own work, Wikimedia CC 4.0.

Additonal Fact:

This weekend, September 5–7, 2025, representing Ferrari for the first time at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza’s Pirelli Italian GP Autodromo Nazionale—the fastest Formula One (F1) track in the world— will be F1 racing car driver and one of the sport’s legends, Lewis Hamilton.

*And for more #ThursdayDoors visit Dan Antion at No Facilities

Ritual Photography

Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

44 thoughts on “Baptismal Fount – Haiku 2025— ThursdayDoors”

  3. Wonderful post. I love the Italian cathedrals in this style, there is one like it in Siena – those stripes are so striking. The door and rose window are magnificent.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. The cathedral and its history are so fascinating, Suzette. I don’t shrug off legends like this. The hen and chicks are amazing looking. I was expecting something much smaller. Those appear to be life sized. As always, your poem is intriguing and guided me into the story.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Kernels of legends and myths come from some morsels of truth, I agree Dan. And you are right, the hen and chicks statue seems to me a deliberate, and skillfull detailing of the habits of a hen and her chicks…I can see why it is so cherished by the museum.
      I hope your have a great day, Dan. Cheers.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. The anti-grave robber, they snuck something into her tomb, such a fascinating part of the history. The building is fabulous though. Reminds me of old mosques such as Cordoba with the striped design. Maggie

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    1. It is a fascinating story about the statue of the hen and chicks.
      Yes, I agree there are connections to the stripes facades to other churches, cathedrals, and buildings in Spain and Italy. Amazing the construction/architectural connections even back in those days, which we assume were not as connected as the world today…eh?
      Safe travels, Maggie.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I wonder about that too Liz. I do not know the answer; however, for some reason my mind sprang straight to thinking about the biblical reference to a hen and chicks but that’s just my own thought patterns.
      Have a wonderful day Liz. Peace to you.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. What a lovely cathedral, Suzette! The trivia and architecture of the building are all fascinating, and so is the statue of the hen and chicks.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Well spotted Violet there are similarities in this cathedral’s facade to mosque-Mudéjar style architecture. Glad you found the share’s information of interest. Thank you so much. And a blessed day to you.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Standing before the western façade of Monza Cathedral, I was struck by an unexpected vision. At first glance, the green and white marble seemed to ripple like a flag in the wind, its stripes recalling to me the colors of the Israeli banner. Of course, the resemblance is surely unintentional, yet the effect is mesmerizing—stone transformed into fabric, architecture into symbol. It is a beauty both unique and serene, as though the cathedral itself were waving in greeting.

    How curious that Monza, home to this sacred house of worship, is also the city of speed—the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale, the fastest Formula One track in the world. There, the race always culminates with the raising of a checkered flag. How fitting that in Monza one finds both marble flags in the cathedral’s façade and racing flags at the circuit, each signaling triumph in its own realm. As Sunday approaches, I find myself praying for Hamilton to ascend the podium once again.

    If God could speak to Moses through the fire of a burning bush, why should we doubt that He could send His gentle dove to the Queen of Lombardy, whispering the call to build a church in this place? It was through a dove that Noah received assurance of new life, the bird returning with an olive branch to show that the waters had receded and the land was fertile again. In the same way, perhaps this cathedral became the branch, planted here so that faith could take root in the region and flourish.

    And yet, mystery lingers within these stones. The statue of the hen and her chicks, still resting in the Queen’s tomb, defies explanation. Who placed it there, and why? Was it a token of affection, a symbol of care, or a riddle meant to outlast centuries? Even in our age of science and technology, when nearly everything can be measured, tracked, or dated, some secrets remain sealed. Perhaps the mystery itself is the gift.

    Above, the tympanum speaks its own silent sermon. Carved with reverent intention, it gathers around the Christ at his baptism: his mother, his old friend John the Baptist, and those who witnessed the moment the heavens opened. The scene is both intimate and eternal, a door of stone opening onto faith.

    A beautiful Thursday door, indeed. And how right the Poet was to draw our gaze to the baptismal font—the wellspring of life that anchors all these images in water and Spirit.

    Wishing you a radiant Friday, filled with wonder and blessing.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. What a marvelous devotion and reflection! I agree in every way with your generous meditation on Monza’s Cathedral and the bits of trivia shared.

      You make an astonishing point which I had not thought of regarding the facade’s vision as reminiscent of the tallit’s lines reflected on Israel’s flag. Amazing!

      And regarding the dove…what great insight of the profound impression of the balance of God’s messenger, His Spirit in the form of a dove, as His preferred way to communicate new life (after the flood) and baptism (the dove at Jesus’ baptism) is a brilliant!

      Thank you so much for the treasures you share as gems of insights you glean from the posts. I am humbled by the depth of your thinking on the matters of the stories related to these sacred spaces.
      Happy Friday to you.

      Liked by 1 person

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