The Self-Harming Bishop of Rome
Image displayed with permission of Brown University
The Self-Harming Bishop of Rome
- This painting (also called an illumination) appears in a manuscript dated to 1700-1799. You can view this painting in the manuscript Brown University, Ethiopic Collection, Manuscript No. 14, f. 26v, s. 62, or learn more about this manuscript at its PEMM Manuscript page. You can also read the related story at its PEMM Story page.
- Many Geʿez manuscript paintings are in "Synoptic Narrative Art” style; that is, a single painting depicts multiple moments in the story, providing a series of vignettes representing different plot points. PEMM calls these "episodes". This painting of PEMM Story ID 163 has 3 episodes. The painting's episode descriptions, locations, and keywords are:
- 1. The bishop ʾAbbās standing and distributing communion surrounded by the faithful, among whom is the woman who kisses his hand (left). The object(s) are church; Eucharist; Eucharistic bread; chalice; handkerchief; candle; head covering. The living being(s) are bishop.
- 2. The bishop sitting and cutting off his hand (bottom-right). The object(s) are knife; bowl; blood; hand. The living being(s) are bishop.
- 3. The bishop and the faithful standing in front of the icon of the Virgin and Child, which has healed his hand (top-right). The object(s) are head covering; jewelry. The living being(s) are Mary; bishop.
- This painting has a caption in Geʿez, which Jeremy Brown has translated as: How adulterous thoughts rose against him while he distrubuted the Eucharist to a woman and how he cut off his hand and our Lady healed him.
- The number of PEMM manuscripts that have paintings of this story is 35. The total number of paintings of this story in PEMM manuscripts is 54.
- PEMM's ID number for this painting is 1656.
- To reproduce this image online or in print, please contact the Brown University. PEMM does not own the rights.
- If you think any of the information on this page is incorrect (e.g., the location, date, description, captions), please use our PEMM Feedback Form to let us know. We depend on users like you to improve the site.
