Galicia
GREEN MEN OF OSIERA 2
Nearby places: Santiago de Compostela

 


Two guardians at the entrance of the church

THE CHURCH OF THE MILK DONATING MOTHER

Originally from Egypt, Babylon and Canaan (Astarte) finding Her way through Cyprus (where She is called Panayia Galaktorofousa) to Western-Europe, the Milk Donating Mother was a central event - a true apparition - of the Madonna to St.Bernard to whom She let drip a few drops of milk on his tongue.....through which he became a passionate devotee to the Eternal-Feminine for life....

CHAPEL HOUSE

Only initiates i.e. members of the community were allowed to enter here. It is the Hall for important meetings i.e. decision making. Again entirely symbolic: the entrance (tympanum) - or does it hide an altar? - with Mother Scallop, while surrounded by three beautiful Green Men/Custodians. Something like this wouldn't be in the Chapter House, unless having a central meaning to the community....and they are certainly not Christian symbols...

Again rather dark here. Add to it that it was forbidden to photograph (there were only guided tours), later turned into a prohibition to flash......you can understand that everything was a little confusing. Indeed a pity, for the monastery is in dire need of good PR. Good pictures are a part of it!
Two times three faces. Those who have buried themselves a little in the Mother Mysteries, know that these are male copies - Green Men - of the Threefold Goddess.....The Church has nothing else to say, but that these pictures are "puzzling".....LINK: Zwickau

 Phoenix and Green Man are two sides of the same coin. Because the core of both is: "death and rebirth". Above the emphasis lies on the Green Man - in ecstacy - left and right on the Phoenix. Again it is an indication of the fact how intensively this monastic community had committed itself to mystical spirituality.......

Gegenstand - again a Three-faced God? - aus dem (kleinen) Museum

CLOISTER
In the middle of the cloister there is a fountain with images that you don't recognize immediately. They are our brothers Green Men Indians from South-America. As is known it were them who were almost totally wiped out by the Spaniards. Unfortunately, the Templars (as well as other monks) have played a (major) role in this, after they had changed their continental life into a colonial one...

Naturally green......

Private

Entrance to the compound

At the gate a statue of a person who is crushing another man with his feet. Until know I have no idea who they are

 

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 © 2000-2010 Copyright Han Marie Stiekema
Last revising: 12/29/09