点评:A towering 12 metre tall Corinthian column, with a distant Mary right at the very top, the Colonna dell’Immaculata Conception stands in Piazza Mignanelli, one along from the Spanish Steps.
The marble column is ancient. Discovered during excavations at Campo Martius, it was re-erected here but the bronze statue of the Madonna was added in 1857.
Its very difficult to see Mary at all. You can clearly make out her crown of stars but its hard to see. Much else. She is apparently stomping on a snake, the symbol of original sin. This represents the Catholic belief that Mary was born free of sin. However the symbolism was lost on me because she’s just too far away and its impossible to see the snake.
Highlights from the story of Mary’s life are recorded in reliefs around the base of the column. One scene shows the Annunciation where the Archangel, Gabriel, visited Mary to tell her that she’d been chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus. Another scene depicts Mary’s coronation in Heaven.
Every year, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on 8th December. The Pope visits the statue to honour Mary and deliver an annual speech and traditionally a wreath of white roses, is hung from Mary’s arm. No easy job!
翻译:圣母无玷始胎柱位于米尼亚内利广场,与西班牙台阶仅一街之隔,是一座 12 米高的科林斯式圆柱,柱顶上雕刻着一位遥远的圣母玛利亚。
这根大理石柱历史悠久。它是在战神广场发掘时发现的,后来重新竖立在这里,但圣母的青铜雕像是 1857 年添加的。
很难看到圣母玛利亚。你可以清楚地看到她的星冠,但很难看到其他东西。她似乎在踩着一条蛇,这是原罪的象征。这代表了天主教的信仰,即圣母玛利亚生来无罪。然而,我不明白其中的象征意义,因为她离我太远了,根本看不到那条蛇。
圣母玛利亚生平故事的精彩片段记录在柱子底部的浮雕中。其中一个场景是天使报喜,大天使加百列拜访了圣母玛利亚,告诉她,她已被上帝选为耶稣的母亲。另一个场景描绘了圣母玛利亚在天堂的加冕仪式。
每年的 12 月 8 日都会庆祝圣母无玷始胎节。教皇会参观雕像以纪念圣母玛利亚并发表年度演讲,传统上圣母玛利亚的手臂上会挂上一圈白玫瑰。这可不是一件容易的事!