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The Front Cover Image
from Oremus June 2023
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Consecration of the Diocese to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the cover features a painting (1829 – 1831), of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary by Vicente López Portaña. This image (now held in the Museo Diocesano de Arte Sacro in Orihuela, Spain) forms part of the donations made to the Real Monasterio de la Visitación de Santa María by its founder, the Infanta Doña María Francisca de Asís de Braganza y Borbón. The concept is original to the artist. Various versions on the same theme are known by him, this painting being the most complete from an iconographic point of view.
surprises challenging received wisdom: sceptics and seances in the early 20th century;and increasingly devout Christians in the later period. I look forward to sharing my findings on this Catholic Union webinar’.
More information and a link to sign up for the event can be found here: https://catholicunion.org.uk/eventslist/webinargod-in-no-10/
Details of the book can be found on Amazon here: https:// www.amazon.co.uk/God-Number-10-Personal-Ministers/ dp/0281087288
Two spaces are differentiated, in juxtaposition: the upper part as a reflection of the divine, and the lower part as a representation of the earthly. The celestial world is characterized by the circular composition based on cherubs and little angels. On the left, they are carrying the symbols of the Passion and Death of Christ: the cross, the spear, the nails, the thorns, the chalice with the Holy Eucharist, vines and the pelican feeding its young. To the right, they carry Marian attributes: the star, the flowers, the face of Christ and the moon. The set of cherubs and angels frame the second halo, in which Christ's crown of thorns and the Virgin's crown of flowers are intertwined.
Inevitably, the focus of attention is on the Sacred Hearts, endowed with the corresponding iconography of Jesus and Mary. On the right, the heart presents the Marian attributes: the flowers and the crown. On the left, the heart shows the crown of thorns and the cross, all enveloped in golden light.
As for the lower part referring to the earthly world, the three angels hold the divine viscera and the seven flaming hearts. Between them, a walled city can be seen, crossed by a lake, which can be interpreted as the union between Heaven and Purgatory. As a last notable element, the snake with the apple makes reference to sin.
