La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
Did you know the announcing angel (the one who is said to have announced the birth of Jesus to Mary) is the same angel as the Archangel Gabriel (who blew his horn at the last judgment)? Did you even know there was an announcing angel? Or an archangel? Dare I ask, do you care?
Whenever I visit a historic church, like the 14th-century Church of Santa Marina (see yesterday’s post) I do a lot of reading after the fact. Not out of any kind of religious interest, but simply to know more about the art and architecture. An angel statue caught my attention. I was surprised to learn the work was created in 2000 by local artist Antonio Bernal Redondo and that it is carried in the church’s Semana Santa procession every year.
What caught my eye was the fact that the angel doesn’t have the usual homoerotic, gym-fit body angels seemed to have. He’s even got just the slightest paunch and the skin is a bit loose under his arm. On the other hand, he is quite pretty and beautifully made up. And his thick and lustrous hair is held back from his face by a gold hairband adorned with a diamond bejeweled star. He was carved from cedar, finished in polychrome, and gilded and painted. I’ll see if I can catch him when he’s out on the street next year.
We had planned to go pick up more shrimp for the aquarium yesterday late afternoon, but San Geraldo hadn’t been feeling well and we ended up instead at Urgent Care. He’s been having stomach problems recently. A scan was done, nothing found, he was given something, and feels so much better today. Nothing to worry about. What a relief. We were there a while and no one came back in. So we thought we could simply leave. I checked the rooms and offices on our way out and didn’t find anyone. SG went online today and sees in the notes that we “abandoned” them. Oops!
We finished lunch and I’m finally going to make myself presentable before I explore the city. Nothing to complain about (yet) today.
¿Sabías que el ángel anunciador (aquel del que se dice que anunció a María el nacimiento de Jesús) es el mismo que el arcángel Gabriel (quien tocó su trompeta en el Juicio Final)? ¿Sabías siquiera que existía un ángel anunciador? ¿O un arcángel? Me atrevo a preguntar: ¿te interesa?
Siempre que visito una iglesia histórica, como la iglesia de Santa Marina, que data del siglo XIV (mira la publicación de ayer), suelo investigar bastante después de la visita. No por un interés religioso, sino simplemente para aprender más sobre el arte y la arquitectura. La estatua del ángel me llamó la atención. Me sorprendió descubrir que la obra fue creada en el año 2000 por el artista local Antonio Bernal Redondo y que, cada año, sale en la procesión de Semana Santa de la iglesia.
Lo que más me llamó la atención es que no tiene ese cuerpo atlético y casi homoerótico que suelen presentar todos estos ángeles; de hecho, tiene una ligera barriguita y la piel un poco flácida bajo el brazo. Por otro lado, es bastante guapo y está primorosamente caracterizado. Su cabello, denso y brillante, está recogido hacia atrás mediante una cinta dorada adornada con una estrella con diamantes. La figura está tallada en madera de cedro, policromada, dorada y pintada. Veré si puedo verlo cuando salga a la calle el año que viene.
Ayer, al final de la tarde, teníamos planeado ir a comprar más camarones para el acuario, pero como San Geraldo no se sentía bien, terminamos en el centro de atención de urgencias. Últimamente ha tenido problemas estomacales. Le hicieron una exploración, no encontraron nada, le dieron un medicamento y hoy se siente mucho mejor. No hay de qué preocuparse. ¡Qué alivio! Estuvimos allí un buen rato y, como nadie volvió a aparecer, pensamos que simplemente podíamos marcharnos. Al salir, revisé las habitaciones y los consultorios, pero no encontré a nadie. Hoy, al consultar su expediente en línea, San Geraldo vio una nota que decía que «abandonamos» el lugar. ¡Ups!
Terminamos de almorzar y por fin voy a arreglarme un poco antes de salir a explorar la ciudad. De momento, no hay nada de qué quejarse.
• Monumento al matador Manolete (Manuel Rodríguez Sánchez), nacido en el barrio en 1917. Se encuentra frente a la iglesia de Santa Marina y, junto a la plaza, se halla en obras el antiguo convento de Santa Isabel, que pronto se convertirá en hotel.
• Un vistazo al interior del convento de Santa Isabel.
• Las alas son de «metal fino con acabado en oro y plata».
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
They certainly have their work cut out for them restoring the convent into something people will want to stay in. Where’s Gabriel’s horn?
Glad to hear SG’s tummy problem is fine but seems like they abandoned y’all.
ellen abbott:
Gabriel didn’t get out his horn for another 33 years or so.
Yeah. Where IS Gabriel’s horn? Is it just me or does he slightly resemble Jeremy Allen White?
Seems like being in construction and restoration in Cordoba would be a wise choice for an occupation.
Glad to hear that SG’s tummy feels better. Perhaps you couldn’t find anyone after the appointment because everyone was at an office party.
Ethyl did not have a “subtle switch” did she?
Mary Moon:
The horn came out 33 years later. Oh, Ethel Merman went from loud to louder. Did you ever hear her disco album?
Oh god no.
What became of the old convent’s original contents and features, I wonder?
That Gabriel may be modern, but the artist has captured “Baroque” very well – paunch or no paunch. Jx
PS I’m scratching my head as to what that grim, graffiti-covered corner in photo #1 has to do with anything else here..?
Jon:
The convent was built around that open area. There’s actual enclosed building surrounding that. Yes, I thought the contemporary statue looked very Baroque.
I meant to explain the graffiti. No relation to anything. I just found it an interesting corner.
Yes Gabriel appears in both Islam and Christianity in his role as a messenger. So he is a trumpet player, we need music, even at important moments.
larrymuffin:
The things I learn… and quickly forget.
No, I did not know that Gabriel was announcing the birth of Jesus. Ha! I guess I knew that there was an angel named Gabriel, who had a trumpet, but I didn’t ever think about, or know about, why. (I had a French literature class once, in which the professor was referring to things in the bible, that whatever story we had read was supposed to be relating to… and I was pretty frustrated, because I don’t know the bible at all [despite being Catholic… we didn’t have bible classes] and I resented that he seemed to just assume that we would know how to interpret this reading, because he assumed that we all knew the bible. I didn’t like that professor, anyway –ha!
Judy C:
That prof sounds awful. I have a cousin who wrote a children’s book with a reference on every page to things only cool people would know. It fit his personality and was not a hit.
I did know about the Archangel Gabriel…….I was a very good listener as a child in catechism class. Yes, archangels are the ‘big guys’ in the angel world. Did you know Satan was/is ? a fallen Archangel? Well, there you have it!
Jim:
I did learn that Satan was a fallen archangel, but only recently! With his hoofed feet, he must have had fallen arch[angel]s.
LOL….hey, you tried!!
“The Angel Gabriel appeared unto Mary, etc” — yes I’d noticed. He was informing her of the conception, though. He’s a busy Angel, probably practicing for the Last Trump, no, not that one, which hasn’t happened yet. At least not that I’d noticed.
Sorry SG isn’t well now. Are you taking it in turns? Is there any issue with the house water?
Anonymous:
The water is fine. Very different issues. And, sadly, we’re not taking turns. We should plan better.
This was me, boud. Forgot to sign in.
All the Archangels had a specific job. Gabriel was the Messenger of God. Michael was the Warrior of God who fought God’s battles, for example, against Lucifer. Lucifer was the Light Bearer (or Light Bringer) who reflected God’s glory to the rest of the angelic host. As we know, that didn’t end well.
There’s Raphael, too, don’t know his job. Maybe painting.
Debra:
I thought Raphael lived in the sewers with Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo.
Boud again, I’m getting careless, not signing in.
Hahahahahahaha! And there’s one other named Uriel. He has a pretty low profile for some reason.
Debra:
Gabriel was an archangel of many talents.
I learn something new every day, well at least I read something new every day.
David:
I read something new every day. I learn something new perhaps once a month.
Yep! 8 years of Catholic grade school: (in rank from highest to lowest) Seraphim Cherubim Thrones Dominions Virtues Powers Principalities Archangels Angels. The Hebrew & Christian Bibles are confusing enough on the subject, then you get Gnostic stuff, English poetry, assorted mythological traditions ll woven in, and whole thing becomes a real mess.
wickedhamster:
I knew you would know all about this.
This Christmas I’m going to have to add a figurine of Ethel Merman to the nativity scene.
Kirk:
Brilliant. I’m imagining a whole bunch of Ethels hanging from the tree, too.
All that I know of the Bible could be written on the head of a pin.
I do wish I had wings of gold and silver, though.
Bob,
I know more than I thought but still very little. And I’m fine with that. I, too, wish I had wings of gold and silver. Or just wings.
Yay, Ethel!
It’s going to take a lot of work to turn that convent into a hotel. Good grief.
Steve,
Have you heard Ethel’s disco album? These renovations happen all the time. Impressive.