Medieval French crozier (early 1200’s), enamel on copper.
From the Walters Museum of Art: The
volute (spiral head) of this crozier resembles a dragon. With a long
curving neck covered with blue enamel scales, its grinning head bites at
a leafy branch. Inside are the Virgin Mary and the Archangel Gabriel in
a scene of the Annunciation. Gabriel's abbreviated greeting "Hail Mary,
full of Grace" (Luke 1:28) appears in white enameled letters on each
side of the volute. On one side the greeting is misspelled. In Christian
symbolism, the dragon represented the Devil who misled mankind, while
the Annunciation initiated Christ's birth and human redemption. We rightly admire Muslim neighbors and co-workers who put everything on hold five times a day in answer to the "call to prayer." But Christians have a "call to prayer," too! It is the Angelus. Three times a day, we are invited to pause and reaffirm our faith in the Incarnation: that "God so loved the world he sent his only Son" (Jn 3:16).
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About the Angelus Project
We rightly admire Muslim neighbors and co-workers who put everything on hold five times a day in answer to the "call to prayer." But Christians have a call to prayer, too! It is the Angelus. Morning, noon and evening we are invited to pause and reaffirm our faith in the Incarnation: The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (Jn. 1:14), because "God so loved the world that he sent his only Son" (Jn. 3:16).
The Angelus Project is a personal project of Sister Anne Flanagan, FSP, a Daughter of St Paul. Find out more about the media ministry of the Daughters of St Paul at DaughtersofStPaul.com.
The Angelus Project is a personal project of Sister Anne Flanagan, FSP, a Daughter of St Paul. Find out more about the media ministry of the Daughters of St Paul at
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