Yesterday was Ascension Day in Belgium. We acknowledged it in our secular way by descending from our hilltop panoramic view into the city center.
Getting off the bus, we walked by a couple of beer drinkers yelling at each other. One threw his brew into the face of his disputant and kicked at him as he got on another bus. Gritty city. Good idea to visit a few cathedrals.
First on the list: Saint Bartholomew’s.
I mentioned in my Wallonia post how the 11th century cathedral has had a number of updates. Restored in the 14th century and 16th century, it was modernized in the 18th, and then underwent extensive restoration work between 1999 and 2006. The painted sandstone and the two-storeyed towers decorated with Lombardy arcatures stand out from the surrounding grey buildings.
Inside was the Westbau which contained the West choir is a painting representing the martyrdom of St. Bartholomew.
But the notable item inside the cathedral is the “world- renowned” baptismal font. The brass vessel is attributed to a gent named Reiner, a Huy goldsmith who fashioned it in the first half of the twelfth century.
Five scenes of baptism starting with John the Baptist, circle the vessel in high relief. Getting splashed in the face seemed to be our downtown Liége throughline.
In the afternoon after a rainy look at the Meuse River from the bridge we had lunch.
Post-meal we went to Saint Paul’s by the university.
The oddity in Saint Paul’s that was of interest was the rebellious angel breaking his shackles behind the pulpit.
Officially titled Le Génie du Mal (the genius of evil) it is known as the Lucifer of Liége. As part of the cathedral’s Gothic Revival in the mid-19th century it was originally commissioned to symbolize the triumph of religion over evil. The first version was called L’Ange du Mal (angel of evil). But church authorities thought Lucifer was too beautiful and sensual and claimed young women were becoming distracted by the statue during sermons. So it was removed and replaced with a version that kept the fallen angel’s beauty, but added stronger signs of damnation and defeat, viz., broken shackles, bat-like wings, small horns hidden the hair, and an expression of grief and remorse.
Looking at him hidden below the rear of the pulpit trying to find a way out I felt sorry for the guy. Another day in Belgium, another vision of a suffering soul trying to escape.