Imagery

When I designed this façade, I wanted believers to see and feel the suffering of Christ before he died. That is why the scenes here tell the story of Jesus’s last days among the living. As the tale unfolds, we see the main events of Christ’s Passion, starting with the Last Supper, at the bottom left, and rising upwards in an S-shape towards the sad outcome at the top: the crucifixion and burial of Christ.

Opposite the central doorway is the marble column of the Flagellation. I had originally designed a cross for this place, although this idea was not entirely rejected. Subirachs divided the column into four blocks, in memory of the four arms of the cross. It is placed on top of three steps which stand for the three days that elapsed before the Resurrection. The knot represents the tortures suffered by Jesus, and the reed at the bottom is a reminder of the cane the Romans gave to Christ in mockery, instead of a royal sceptre.

If you would like to hear more about the carvings on this portal and the meaning of each of the scenes, go on to the next audio track. Otherwise, press number 26 on the key pad of your app and we will continue with our tour of the basilica.



(c) (R) 2013, MUSMon com S.L.
Text (a) Diego Laforga Marcos (2013)

Picture:
Source: Own work
Author: Carlos Marcos (2013)