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Ecstasy of Saint Teresa

The ecstasy of Saint Teresa is a sculpture which was designed and made by an artist called Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the year 1647-1652. It is set in the elevated place of Cornaro Chapel in Rome at Santa Maria. The sculpture is set in a worship place in Rome as it is believed to be a spiritual content. Therefore, the reflection paper will look at the sculpture and its context as well as the setting.

From the image, I see that the sculpture is in a spiritual context. In my opinion, it is in a spiritual context because of the figures captured in it. I believe the sculpture is indicating a spiritual encounter. The sculpture also has been placed in a worship center to indicate its relevance to the believers. If we look at the figure captured in the sculpture, we can tell for sure that it is a spiritual setting with the theme being spiritual encounter.

When looking at it, I see an image that has wings. In spiritual beliefs of Christians, any human-figure with wings is believed to be an Angel. I thus believe that the figure is an angel. There is also a figure that is a woman. I think the image is a woman due to her mode of dressing, she has covered her head, and the dress covers her body fully. I believe she is Saint Teresa. The Angel figure in the sculpture is holding an arrow in one hand and the other hand the ladies dress. I assume that he wants to clear the chest area near the heart and piece her with the arrow. In my view, I think the arrow is representing love. The arrow is to piece through the ladies heart to show how God’s love is flowing through her. It may be used to show that God had much love to her that pierced through her soul like an arrow. Love that left a mark in her heart to remind her of it all days. We realize this encounter and the figures involved from Saint Teresa’s explanation.

To explain her experience, she begins by describing the figure she saw. Her explanation begins, “Beside me, on the left, appeared an angel in bodily form.... He was not tall but short, and very beautiful; and his face was so aflame that he appeared to be one of the highest ranks of angels, who seem to be all on fire.... In his hands, I saw a great golden spear, and at the iron tip there appeared to be a point of fire.” With this description, one can easily tell that she had an encounter with an Angel. I believe the explanation makes one get in the imaginary world and can guess what type of experience she had. It also increases the faith of believers in the existence of God, Angels, and Heaven.

She continues to explain the experience by indicating her feeling during the encounter. She goes on “This he plunged into my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails. When he pulled it out, I felt that he took them with it, and left me utterly consumed by the great love of God. The pain was so severe that it made me utter several moans. The sweetness caused by this intense pain is so extreme that one cannot possibly wish it to cease, nor is one's soul content with anything but God. This is not a physical but a spiritual pain, though the body has some share in it—even a considerable share.” The explanation of the feeling, tells the audience or the viewer what the Angel did and the results. The feeling makes people believe in God’s love and the sweetness of being loved by Him. The two explanations I believe make the sculpture relevant for worship center.

After analyzing the ecstasy, I can say that the experience was one amazing and a bit terrifying although comforting. I believe it was amazing because, as believers, we believe that having an encounter with the Holy Angels or Heavenly figures is such a greatest favor. The experience might have been terrifying because it is unexpected, and the piercing of through her chest too. However, it is comforting since she was comfortable and did she could not want it to stop. The sculpture is thus one with a lot of answers to any doubt of a believer’s faith.

In conclusion, I liked to go through the article and analyze the experience. I feel encouraged as a believer that indeed Angels are a reality from the experience of Saint Teresa. I also think the designer of the sculpture was talented and he did a great work bringing out the intended message. The piece was thus worth being analyzed.

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