Mary as a ‘normal woman’ who gives birth to a child: Jesus. The statue of the Blessed Mother installed in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Linz at this intimate moment has also drawn criticism. But now, just a few days after the opening of the exhibition, an act of vandalism took place: the statue was decapitated.
“If religious feelings were hurt, that was not our intention. But this act of vandalism is not tolerated” – the Diocese of Linz is outraged by the attack on the statue in the middle of the Linz Cathedral. The act of vandalism apparently took place on Monday, just four days after the controversial image of the Virgin Mary was erected.
Made three figures of Mary
“The work is a powerful confession of God’s incarnation. The history of redemption does not begin with Jesus, but with the Annunciation, and becomes clear at the moment when new life is born,” explained theologian Martina Resch at the opening of the exhibition “Artistic Views on the Holy Family”, which took place as part of the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of St. Mary’s Cathedral. Those responsible had taken into account that the statue by Esther Strauss would lead to discussions, but not to vandalism.
Esther Strauss created one for the two Marian figures that make up the cathedral’s nativity scene: the kneeling Mary with folded hands next to the child in the manger, which is set up on Christmas Eve, and the seated Mary with the child Jesus on her lap, who at Epiphany appears the third Marian figure: the Childbirth of Mary.
“This photo was missing”
“Perhaps Mary is the woman in the world of whom there are the most paintings, drawings and sculptures. Most of these images were made by men. Why does the missing image stand out among them? The birth that millions of people celebrate on December 24th is not expressed in any painting or sculpture. When we talk about the birth of Christ, we imagine a child in a manger, but not his mother giving birth to him,” said the artist, whose work has now been destroyed.
Source: Krone
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