忘却からの帰還〜Intelligent Design

アセンション(Ascension)という単語は、キリストの昇天などの意味でつかわれるみたい。ただし、聖母マリアの昇天はAssumptionが使われる。

また、聖書の記述ではないが、日に7回にわたり天使に運ばれて天に昇るマグダラのマリアについては、AscensionとAssumptionの両方が使われているようだ。

[ Carlo Dolci (1616-1686): "Saint Mary Magdalene" (1660-70)]


Jacobus de Voragine (1230-1298):"Golden Legend"によれば、マグダラのマリアは、隠遁生活で日に7回、天使たちに運ばれて天上に昇ったことになっている：

In this meanwhile the blessed Mary Magdalene, desirous of sovereign contemplation, sought a right sharp desert, and took a place which was ordained by the angel of God, and abode there by the space of thirty years without knowledge of anybody. In which place she had no comfort of running water, ne solace of trees, ne of herbs. And that was because our Redeemer did do show it openly, that he had ordained for her refection celestial, and no bodily meats. And every day at every hour canonical she was lifted up in the air of angels, and heard the glorious song of the heavenly companies with her bodily ears. Of which she was fed and filled with right sweet meats, and then was brought again by the angels unto her proper place, in such wise as she had no need of corporal nourishing.

It happed that a priest, which desired to lead a solitary life, took a cell for himself a twelve-furlong from the place of Mary Magdalene. On a day our Lord opened the eyes of that priest, and he saw with his bodily eyes in what manner the angels descended into the place where the blessed Magdalene dwelt, and how they lifted her in the air, and after by the space of an hour brought her again with divine praisings to the same place. And then the priest desired greatly to know the truth of this marvellous vision, and made his prayers to Almighty God, and went with great devotion unto the place. And when he approached nigh to it a stone's cast, his thighs began to swell and wax feeble, and his entrails began within him to lack breath and sigh for fear. And as soon as he returned he had his thighs all whole, and ready for to go. And when he enforced him to go to the place, all his body was in languor, and might not move.

And then he understood that it was a secret celestial place where no man human might come, and then he called the name of Jesu, and said: I conjure thee by our Lord, that if thou be a man or other creature reasonable, that dwellest in this cave, that thou answer me, and tell me the truth of thee. And when he had said this three times, the blessed Mary Magdalene answered: Come more near, and thou shalt know that thou desirest. And then he came trembling unto the half way, and she said to him: Rememberest thou not of the gospel of Mary Magdalene, the renowned sinful woman, which washed the feet of our Saviour with her tears, and dried them with the hair of her head, and desired to have forgiveness of her sins? And the priest said to her: I remember it well, that is more than thirty years that holy church believeth and confesseth that it was done. And then she said: I am she that by the space of thirty years have been here without witting of any person, and like as it was suffered to thee yesterday to see me, in like wise I am every day lift up by the hands of the angels into the air, and have deserved to hear with my bodily ears the right sweet song of the company celestial.

[ Jacobus de Voragine: "Golden Legend" ]

高度どれくらいに天上が想定されていたのか分からないが、時速60kmの最速エレベータで片道10分程度で済ませるとして、高度10000mあたり。たぶん、もっと低いだろう。

この天に昇るマグダラのマリアはキリスト教絵画の定番になっているようで、いろいろと絵画が残されている。英文の標題では"Ascension"と"Assumption"の両方が使われている。

隠遁生活を象徴する服をみにまとっていることもあるが...

[ José Claudio Antolinez (1639- 1676): "Assumption of Mary Magdalene"]

マグダラのマリアのお約束な全裸もある...

Ascension_dof_Mary_Magdalena_de_Francesco_Lupicini.jpg
[ Francesco Lupicini (1590-1652): "Asunción de María Magdalena"]

子供形態の天使3〜4名で持ち上げていることが多いようだが、ときには成人形態の天使1名のときもある。

[ Guido Cagnacci (1601-1663): "Maddalena sollevata da un angelo"]

上空100mくらいかな？

[ Giovanni Lanfranco (1582-1647): "Ascension of Mary Magdalene" (1604-1605)]

めずらしく典礼衣装？で天上へ昇る、シンボル完全実装なマグダラのマリア。左下の朱色の服をまとう天使が手に持つのは、マグダラのマリアの隠遁生活で身にまとっている衣服。これが隠遁生活のシンボル。左中の薄青の服をまとう天使の右手に罪を象徴する"むち"、左手にはマグダラのマリアの象徴である"つぼ"を持っている。

Assumption_of_Mary_Magdalene_into_Heaven_Domenichino.jpg
[ Domenichino (1581-1641): "The Assumption of Mary Magdalene into Heaven" (1620)]
かなり重そうに見える。

---

---