Did you see St Ignatius in Vienna?
Two giant Rubens paintings in Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum — and why the miracles of Ignatius and Xavier deserve far more attention than they get. (3 min read)
The Kunsthistoriches Museum in Vienna holds two extraordinary paintings by Peter Paul Rubens of interest to pilgrims? “The Miracles of Ignatius of Loyola” and the “Miracles of Francis Xavier” are huge paintings, I’d say about 3 metres by 2 metres, and they hang opposite each other in a prominent gallery space in the museum. The museum also holds the small studies for each of them.
There is no doubt that these paintings, and particularly the painting of Ignatius, are highly energised and were created with great love. Rubens was a strong supporter of the case for Ignatius’ canonisation and he produced these paintings, as well as a large number of drawings, illustrating the miracles of Ignatius in order to press the case for him to be made a saint.
It is sometimes said that Ignatius was no wonder-worker, and the Jesuits tend to underplay his healing gifts, but this is not correct. There is proof that Ignatius was the instrument for raising one person from the dead and the Vatican accepted over 200 miracles achieved through him out of 1600 claims.
Xavier’s miracles are much better known but still not sufficiently emphasised by the Jesuits. He raised seven people from the dead in his life and was the instrument for thousands of miracles.
If you visit Vienna, please make sure you see these paintings in Salle XIV in the Kunsthistoriches Museum or check them out online: https://www.khm.at/en/artworks/the-miracles-of-st-ignatius-of-loyola-1621
© Paul McCarthy & Iluminar.au
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