This week is Holy Week and tomorrow many break their Lenten fasts, or feast on chocolate. The two are not mutually exclusive.
As part of the Easter story (well, that accepted in the Middle Ages), Jesus spent the time between his crucifixion and resurrection harrowing hell. This 'harrowing', a term which means either ploughing or the sacking of a place, essentially meant that those that had died, but were not sinners, were now permitted to enter heaven as a result of Christ's intervention. The gates of heaven were now open, death was no longer a waiting room for salvation.
There's shedloads of stuff to read regarding the harrowing of hell (Is it a part of the original easter story? Was it invented later? Was salavation only possible after?....etc.etc.), but like other famous myths it lends itself wonderfully to artists:
Happy Easter (tomorrow) everyone!
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| Baltimore, Walter Art Museum, MS W. 918 f. 149 v. | | | |
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| London, BL, Arundel 157, f. 110 | | |
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| New York, The Madison Library, MS W.2 f. 139 v. |
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| Philadelphia, Penn Library, MS Codex 738, f. 127 r. |
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