Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 13. (Budapest, 1993)

DÁVID Katalin: Adatok a Mária ikonográfiához

type among the iconography of Lady of the Apocalypse corroborates that there really was an earlier model. Among the Renaissance features we might mention the lack of stressing the immaculata conceptio, which is, on the other hand a typical characteristic of the pictures made in the 17-18th centuries. The existence of such a model is also reassured if we compare the picture with one of the most popular relics of Hungarian Renaissance, the Madonna of the Francsican church in Csiksomlyó. The two pictures, without doubt, use the same motifs in composition. Notes 1 I Santuari Mariani del Patriarcato di Venezia c delle Diocesi di Adria-Rovigo Chioggia. Padova, 1989 2 The Ephesian synod in 431 condemned the ideas of Nestorius, who claimed that the Blessed Virgin was not "Theotokos", that is, not the mother of God. Commemorating the Ephesian synod, the church that was started by Pope Liberius was dedicated by Sixtus I, on 6th August, 432, to God's mother. It is for this reason that in the Roman missal the Maria mass beginning with "Salve sancta parens" is demanded for this day. Various- parts of this mass refer to Mary as being the mother of God. 3 Pope Liberius was told in his dream by the Blessed Virgin that a church dedicated to her should be built on the part of the city that - despite the hot August day - was going to be covered with snow the following day. Thus, the church was built on Esquilinus, one of Rome's seven hills. The name Santa Maria ad Nives, the "Blessed Virgin of the Snow" originates from this story. 4 The Bogomils denied Mary being God's mother. 5 All the data known about the church is collected in Bálint, Sándor: A SzegedAlsó városi templom (The Church of Szeged Downtown). In. Műemlékeink (Our Monuments). Bp. 1966 6 On the request of a Jésuite missionaire, Ignác P. Azevedói, the general of the order, St. Francis of Borgia asked fui a pu mission by Pupc Pius V to copy the icon. 7 Dr. Cscpregi, Imre: A makói Szent István-plébániatemplomban őrzött Havi Boldogasszony-kép (The picture of the Blessed Virgin of the Snow, in the St. Stephen's church of Makó). Makó, 1937 8 Bálint, Sándor: see above, p. 14. 9 P. Ordinász, Konstantin: A libanus havasi alatt illatozó Titkos értelmű Rózsa (The Rose of Mysterious Meaning Scenting Under The Mountains of Lebanon). Szeged, 1830. - The data of this work were referred to by Jordánszky, Elek: Magyar Országban, 's az ahhoz tartozó részekben lévő Boldogságos Szűz Mária kegyelem' képeinek rövid leirása. Posonban, 1836 (A Short Description of Pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hungary and Adjacent Areas. Pozsony, 1836) pp. 100-101. A great number of archives are researched by Dr Szabó, György Piusz: Ferencrendiek a magyar történelemben (The Role of Franciscans in Hungarian History). Budapest, 1921. 10 We know from Gerald's Great Legend that when the bishop arrived at the court of King Stephen, he was the one who preached at Fehérvár, on the August celebration of the Blessed Virgin. His chosen topic was the Virgin Dressed in Sun, from the Book of Apparitions. See Scriptores Rerum HUngaricum II, Budapest, 1938. 11 Between 1665 and 1690, during the interrupted renovation work of the church and the monastery, a painter monk was also working there. Ref. Bálint, Sándor: see above, p.22. It is possible that he was the one who produced today's altar picture, which is most likely a reproduction. 12 Ref. Bálint, Sándor: see above, p.28. 13 The legendary tradition about the fate of the picture contains some true elements as well. It is said that trying to avoid damage, in 1552 the picture was hidden in the moorland close to the monastery. It was lying there for about eighty years when a Turk, while giving some water to his horse, miraculously found it and took it back to the church. Ific date of the hiding is supported by the fact that at that time Szeged was heavily stormed by the Turks, who burnt down almost the entire town. We should also accept that the picture arrived at its original place again after eighty years, when the monks received the permission to renovate the church. This suggests that the relationship between the Turks and the monks became smoother. However, the picture suffered a lot during these eighty years even if it was not hidden in the moors but, following the popular ways of hiding a thing, was dug in the garden or hidden behind the bricks of a wall.