Church in Castrojeriz

[m108]

Church at the exit of Castrojeriz. Does anyone have an idea why the Pentagram is facing like it?

 

[FLEUR]

Can't answer your query but I was intrigued to see the skull and crossbones on the church. I saw that again recently on a church on the Portuguese Camino. Does anyone know the significance?

 

[malingerer]

Can't answer your query but I was intrigued to see the skull and crossbones on the church. I saw that again recently on a church on the Portuguese Camino. Does anyone know the significance?

reply to both. Could be Knights Templar.

The Malingerer.

 

[FLEUR]

What was the connection with Knights Templar? Did they use this cross bones symbol?

 

[Kathar1na]

Can't answer your query but I was intrigued to see the skull and crossbones on the church.

I think the skull and crossbones are on the Santo Domingo church which is sort of in the middle of Castrojeriz. The photo above with the window above the west portal shows the San Juan church at the end of Castrojeriz.

 

[Kathar1na]

Church at the exit of Castrojeriz. Does anyone have an idea why the star is facing like it?View attachment 61001

@m108, I think you want to know why the tracery (I think that's the name in English) of the window has the shape of a pentagram and why, out of all the innumerous possible positions, they decided on a position where one of the five pointed ends is at the very bottom of the circular window, right?

To think that we walked around all the sides of this church and didn't even notice this ...

 

[m108]

@m108, I think you want to know why the tracery (I think that's the name in English) of the window has the shape of a pentagram and why, out of all the innumerous possible positions, they chose a position where one of the five pointed ends is at the very bottom of the circular window, right?

To think that we walked around all the sides of this church and didn't even notice this ...

Right

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It often has been a sign of evil, but it also symbolizes the wounds of Christ.

 

[Kathar1na]

I am aware that all these numbers can have meaning in Gothic architecture but when I see something like this church in Castrojeriz that doesn't rank among the great Gothic masterpieces - and I actually love to look at all these more modest efforts - I tend to think that they picked this motif because they didn't have the money and skills to go for something more elaborate, for example like the tracery in the photo below where I can see three pentagrams and two of them are ""upside down"".

 

[Kathar1na]

I was intrigued to see the skull and crossbones on the church. I saw that again recently on a church on the Portuguese Camino. Does anyone know the significance?

A common explanation says that it is a memento mori, a reminder that you and I and everyone else will die eventually. Quite popular in the Middle Ages and of course with medieval pilgrims as one aspect of pilgrimage was their concern about what will happen after death and any safety measures that one can take while on earth. You can make out the words O MORS O AETERNITAS (Oh death, oh eternity) above the two skulls and crossbones in Castrojeriz.

 

[Former member 69452]

I found a great resource with many explanations as to the origins of the pentagram. Hope this helps you. https://www.templestudy.com/2008/02/04/the-ancient-pentagram-a-christian-symbol/

 

[m108]

I found a great resource with many explanations as to the origins of the pentagram. Hope this helps you. https://www.templestudy.com/2008/02/04/the-ancient-pentagram-a-christian-symbol/

Thank you

 

[Kathar1na]

Based on Renaissance-era occultism, says Wikipedia, the pentagram found its way into the symbolism of modern occultists. Wikipedia is not always reliable but I take their word for it. In addition, someone in the 19th century came up with the idea that a pentagram in the position as shown in the first photo in this thread - with one "foot" instead of two - is a bad thing or evil or ultra-mysterious. I'm not sure from what time the Castrojeriz window dates exactly but I'm pretty confident that the medieval builders knew nothing about Renaissance occultism, a French occult author and ceremonial magician from the 19th century or occultist beliefs of the 21st century. How the Castrojeriz window gained its notoriety is anyone's guess.

Pentagram patterns in Gothic windows can be found elsewhere. Below is a photo of the North transept window in the famous cathedral of Amiens in the North of France - the hotbed of Gothic architecture. Can you see the pattern ? Perhaps the architect/master mason for Castrojeriz did his apprenticeship in Amiens or he was a pilgrim from France who ended up in Castrojeriz? There's no limit to our imagination.

 

[KinkyOne]

Hey, Marina!

You on the CF right now? Good if you are

Be safe!