Did the Virgin Mary Appear to Saint Paul?

[Abba]

Did the Virgin Mary Appear to Saint Paul? I never heard of this before until I saw this painting byGiovan Battista Quagliata :

‘The Apparition of the Virgin Mary to Saint Paul’ above the alter in the Church of St Paul
http://home.comcast.net/~suzyq9/GBQ-VirginMaryStPaul.jpg

Probably the most famous painting by Giovan Battista Quagliata (1603-1673) that survived centuries of earth quakes and wars still hangs above the alter of the Church of Saint Paul (aka Santa Rita) in Messina. The church construction began about 1600 and the completion date was about 1666. The painting, a large work titled “The Apparition of the Virgin Mary to Saint Paul” is believed to have been completed about 1647. home.comcast.net/~suzyq9/GBQpaintings.html

Interesting… I wonder if there are any Church records of this claim…why would a church have an image of an event that may not have taken place? They must know something…

 

[Della]

There is an obscure reference in 2 Corinthians that some scholars say is Paul talking about himself in the third person in which he was caught up into heaven and saw things he could not talk about:

2Cor.12
[1] I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
[2] I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.
[3] And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows –
[4] and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.

I’m not saying these verses refer to the apparition in the painting, but it may be that theologians had speculated such an encounter occurred, which the artist captured on canvas. Just my guess, maybe someone else will know for certain the origins of this depiction.

 

[Abba]

Hello Della,

It seems like this painting only interest you and me,

Well, that was quick of you to think of that verse…thank you for bringing it up. You actually made me focus on it and it has raised some interesting questions to me that I have yet to explore (third heaven…). Nonetheless, I don’t think that a church would place such a painting of such an image at the altar based on thin speculations. Besides, take a close look at the painting.

Paul is on top of a hill and the Virgin Mary with the child Jesus is on the air, below them is the town of Messina. The Hill Paul is standing at, notice the dark rocks, is exactly the hill where the church that houses the painting was built. Unfortunately, I lost some of the links to the very few websites that I found of the church after alot of difficulties. If you continue to be interested I will look them up again, and this time with less difficulty. There are a couple of town with similar names and it gets a little confusing, like Messene and Medina etc… even the Greeks may have made this mistake from what I was reading.

I did finally find the actual church that houses the painting and the actual town. The church was destroyed at some point ( probably by an earthquake or age…not sure) and used to be called Saint Sophia. It was rebuilt and named Saint Paul and is also now knowned by two names; Saint Paul and Saint Rita. I watched a couple of videos of processions in May with the statue of Saint Rita. I did not find much information about the connection of Saint Rita with Messina.

The town of Messina is right at the point of Sicily that is near the peninsula of Italy. Paul may have actually visited that town on his fourth journey on his way to Rome. biblestudy.org/maps/paul-to-rome-map.html

The parish does not have a website. I will call this week to learn if they believe that the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Paul in the town of Messina and any information they may share, I will post here.

Hey, Della, notice how Saint Paul in this painting is presenting his work to the Virgin Mary and child Jesus. The little angel in front of Paul seems to be carrying bound papyrus leaf to which Paul is point and there are some on the floor maybe representing his unfinished letters. This brings to mind Saint Anthony Mary the Claret and how after he wrote a leaflet the Virgin Mary appeared to him and told him: You have written well.

I like presenting my menial work to the Lord. A lady I know was once leaving the parish where she worked as secretary and before we left the church she had to go to the altar. I heard her pray in one of the most beautiful way I have actually sincerely heard someone pray. There, kneeling before the altar, she offered her days work to the Lord. It was beautiful. Ever since, I have tried to offer my work to God - although not as eloquently.

Peace,

Abba

 

[Della]

I generally fine these kinds of paintings and their meaning too obscure for me. No doubt it has to do with the history of Messina, as you say, which would explain a lot.

My other thoughts were that this may be a depiction of Paul’s entrance into heaven, presenting his writings as a reminder to those viewing the painting of his place in Church history.

And St. Paul refers to Mary at least once: Gal.4:4 But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman…. I doubt the painting depicts this verse, but it’s worth noting, nonetheless.

 

[crazzeto]

It’s worth noting, that it is very highly likely that St. Paul met the Blessed Mother in the flesh, prior to the assumption.

 

[mangy_dog]

Did the Virgin Mary Appear to Saint Paul? I never heard of this before until I saw this painting byGiovan Battista Quagliata :

‘The Apparition of the Virgin Mary to Saint Paul’ above the alter in the Church of St Paul
http://home.comcast.net/~suzyq9/GBQ-VirginMaryStPaul.jpg

Probably the most famous painting by Giovan Battista Quagliata (1603-1673) that survived centuries of earth quakes and wars still hangs above the alter of the Church of Saint Paul (aka Santa Rita) in Messina. The church construction began about 1600 and the completion date was about 1666. The painting, a large work titled “The Apparition of the Virgin Mary to Saint Paul” is believed to have been completed about 1647. home.comcast.net/~suzyq9/GBQpaintings.html

Interesting… I wonder if there are any Church records of this claim…why would a church have an image of an event that may not have taken place? They must know something…

Church teaching or not,

I see nothing wrong with the possibility of Mary appearing to Paul during his life as Jesus did at the beginning of his conversion on the road to Damascus.

Pious belief, private revelation or whatever, it doesn’t contradict any teaching that I can tell.