Blood Libel Myth
This cathedral contains a series of paintings built into the church's wooden panelling depicting the Martyrologium Romanum. The third painting depicts a scene which it is claimed "...depicts ritual murders committed in Sandomierz by Jews on Christian children. The inscription above the painting reads filius apothecary ab infidelibus judaeis sandomiriensibus occisus (son of an apothecary, by infidel Sandomierz Jews killed)
The church (St Paul's) contains a second series of paintings including one in the chancel depicting the torment of Jerzy Krassowski who was supposedly strangled by Jews.
Discussion on these pictures has taken place with the Polish Jewish Community. "The Polish Council of Christians and Jews has offered to finance a plaque with explanations of the blood libel and information about the official statements by various Popes rejecting the accusation". This proposal has not been accepted and to date the pictures remain in the Cathedral and Church without plaque explaining or contradicting the myths portrayed.
Read more about this topic: Sandomierz, Sandomierz Cathedral and St Paul's Church
Famous quotes containing the words blood, libel and/or myth:
“I was born upon thy bank, river,
My blood flows in thy stream,
And thou meanderest forever
At the bottom of my dream.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Nor do they trust their tongue alone,
But speak a language of their own;
Can read a nod, a shrug, a look,
Far better than a printed book;
Convey a libel in a frown,
And wink a reputation down.”
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745)
“Myth is the hidden part of every story, the buried part, the region that is still unexplored because there are as yet no words to enable us to get there.... Myth is nourished by silence as well as by words.”
—Italo Calvino (1923–1985)