South Portal Trumeau

Mère Dieu Portal

Central Trumeau of the Virgin Mary

The Virgin Mary, rendered as Queen of Heaven, assumes the stance of a Byzantine Hodegetria type--it is possible that a Byzantine ivory, like the one (below) in the Metropolitan Museum, had been brought back from Constantinople after the fall of that city to the crusaders in 1204.

Medieval viewers might recall the words of a contemporary sermon preached near Amiens: "The Mother of God, Saint Mary of Amiens (la mère dieu Sainte Marie d'Amiens), is your lady of all ladies; she is the lady of the world, she is the queen of the glorious heavens, she is the treasure of sinners, she is the savior of souls, she is the spouse of our Lord, she is the mother of Jesus Christ, she is the temple of the Holy Spirit. This lady calls back to her those who have strayed, she sets the fallen on their feet, she is rescue to the captives. She comforts the sad, she strengthens the weak, she prays for the people, she sustains the despised, she guards women. Remember that sin entered the world through woman and that good is brought back to the world through woman. The reproach that Eve brought to woman was removed by the Virgin Mary, "since he whom the heavens could not contain, you have conceived in your womb'".

A photogrametric model of the Virgin Mary Trumeau can be viewed here

Virgin Hodegetria

Virgin Hodegetria

Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve