Scenes from the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ

Fresco
South Transept, The Old Cathedral, Salamanca, Spain

In the panel on the left, St. Mary Magdalene kneels before the resurrected Christ, who says, "Do not touch me, for I am not yet ascended to my Father" (John 21:17). The trees in the background reference her earlier misprision in thinking that he was a gardener. In the middle panel St. Thomas places his hand in the wound in Christ's breast (John 20:24-28).

In the right panel twelve figures look up as Jesus ascends into Heaven. In Acts 1:6-10 there are eleven apostles, and in the traditional iconography Mary is added to the number. The one in the middle does appear to be Mary, with her hands clasped in prayer as in most Ascensions, but the figures to her right and left appear to be Peter (square beard, balding from the top of his head) and Paul (long beard, balding from the front). That leaves only nine other apostles. Possibly a tenth was visible before the damage to the fresco.

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Photographed at the cathedral by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.