Ecclesia and Synagoga
Medieval personifications of Church and Synagogue in Christian art.
Ecclesia and Synagoga (Latin for 'Church and Synagogue') are paired female personifications found in medieval Christian art, representing the Christian Church and the Jewish synagogue (Judaism). They appear most famously as large sculpted figures flanking church portals, such as at Strasbourg Cathedral, and also stand on either side of the cross in Crucifixion scenes, especially in Romanesque art. The figures embody the Christian theological concept of supersessionism—the belief that Christianity replaced Judaism as the true religion—and their contrasting attributes visually convey the victory of the Church and the defeat of the Synagogue.
- field
- Medieval Christian art and iconography
- known_for
- Personifying the Church and the Jewish synagogue in sculpture and manuscript illumination, often with Ecclesia crowned and holding a chalice, and Synagoga blindfolded with a broken lance
- first_appearance
- c. 830 in a historiated initial of the Drogo Sacramentary (though the Jewish figure was then a seated old man)
- peak_period
- 12th–13th centuries, with portal figures mainly from the 13th century
Lore & Background
The earliest known appearance of such figures in a Crucifixion is in a historiated initial in the Drogo Sacramentary of about 830, though there the figure representing the Jews or Old Covenant is a seated white-haired old man, not a woman. By around 870, Carolingian carved ivory relief panels for book covers show the pair with a female Jewish partner, and they remain common in miniatures and small works until the 10th century. After being less common in the 11th century, they reappear in the 12th century with a more strongly contrasted emphasis on Synagoga's defeat, at which point a blindfolded Synagoga with a broken lance becomes usual. The figures continue in Crucifixions until the early 14th century and occur later in various contexts but become increasingly less common.
Reader's Guide
Ecclesia and Synagoga are significant as visual expressions of medieval Christian supersessionism, the belief that Judaism was rendered obsolete by Christianity. Their iconography—Ecclesia crowned and holding a chalice, Synagoga blindfolded with a broken lance and slipping scrolls—drew on biblical passages such as the tearing of the Temple veil at Christ's death (Matthew 27:51) and Paul's metaphor of a veil over Jewish hearts (2 Corinthians 3:13-16). The figures also served a social function: sculpted on cathedrals in northern European cities with significant Jewish communities, they projected an ideal of Jewish submission within a Christian realm. While early depictions were less hostile, later medieval versions emphasized Synagoga's defeat, sometimes with attributes like a ram symbolizing alleged Jewish carnality. The pair's legacy lies in their long-lasting influence on Christian art and their role in reflecting and reinforcing medieval attitudes toward Judaism.
Did You Know?
- The blindfold on Synagoga derives from Saint Paul's letter in 2 Corinthians 3:13-16, which speaks of a veil covering Jewish hearts when reading the Old Covenant.
- At Strasbourg Cathedral, the figures of Ecclesia and Synagoga are among the most famous examples, sculpted as large figures on either side of a church portal.
- In some depictions, Synagoga is accompanied by a ram, which signified Old Testament sacrifice and was also used to symbolize alleged Jewish lustfulness.
- The earliest Crucifixion scene with these figures appears in the Drogo Sacramentary of about 830, but there the Jewish figure is a seated old man, not a woman.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Ecclesia and Synagoga?
Ecclesia and Synagoga are paired female allegorical figures in medieval Christian art, with Ecclesia personifying the Christian Church and Synagoga representing the Jewish synagogue. They most often appear as sculpted or painted counterparts flanking a central religious element, such as a cathedral portal or a Crucifixion cross.
What are Ecclesia and Synagoga's key visual attributes?
Ecclesia is typically shown crowned and holding a chalice or a cross, while Synagoga appears blindfolded with a broken or shattered lance, sometimes clutching a Torah scroll. These deliberately contrasting details create a visual hierarchy that underscores the theological message of the scene.
Where and when do Ecclesia and Synagoga first appear?
The earliest known depiction dates to roughly 830 CE in a historiated initial of the Drogo Sacramentary, though in that early rendering the Jewish figure was a seated elderly man rather than a woman. The fully developed paired-female format reached its peak during the 12th and 13th centuries, especially in Romanesque and early Gothic sculpture.
What theological concept do Ecclesia and Synagoga express?
The duo visually encodes the doctrine of supersessionism, the medieval Christian belief that the Church supersedes Judaism as the true faith. Ecclesia's upright, crowned posture set against Synagoga's diminished, blindfolded stance dramatizes this perceived replacement.
Where can I see famous examples of Ecclesia and Synagoga?
One of the most celebrated pairs stands on the western portal of Strasbourg Cathedral, where the two large sculpted figures flank the main entrance. They also appear frequently in Romanesque Crucifixion panels, positioned on either side of the cross.
More in Mythological duos 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record