The Dormition, the Coronation of Mary, and the Holy Kinship

1180
South tympanum, Basilica of St. Servatius, Maastricht, the Netherlands

Inside the archivolt are eight members of the extended family of Mary known as the Holy Kinship. At the far left is Servatius, the grand-nephew of the Virgin Mary's mother, Anne. The Golden Legend says the relics of Servatius are here in the city of Maastricht. He may be confusing this 1st-century Servatius with Maastricht's patron saint, the St. Servatius who was bishop of nearby Tongeren in the 4th century. Or possibly the basilica was claiming to have the relics of both men.

Left to right, the other figures in the archivolt are St. Joseph, Jesus, Mary, Mary's mother Anne, Anne's sister Hismeria, Hismeria's son Eliud, Eliud's son Eminen, the father of Servatius."

The bottom register of the tympanum is the Dormition. On the left eight apostles grieve as Mary "goes to sleep." On the right, an angel helps three of them to lay her in a coffin. The presence of eleven apostles total refers to the legend that St. Thomas was absent at this time and incredulous when he arrived after the Assumption and was told what had happened. The censer in the hands of the apostle on the far right refers to the last rites that would have been given to Mary.

Above the Dormition is a relief of the Coronation of Mary.

Read more about images of the Coronation of the Virgin
Read more about images of the Dormition.
Read more about images of the Holy Kinship.

Source: Pedro J. Pacheco via this page at Wikimedia Commons.