Caravaggio’s Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy: A Masterpiece of Suffering and Divine Rapture

La Maddalena in estasi, c. 1610, oil on canvas,
Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio

The Italian Cultural Institute in New York is offering a rare opportunity to admire one of Caravaggio’s most haunting and emotionally powerful paintings, Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy (c. 1610).

Having long held a deep personal devotion to Mary Magdalene, I found this exhibition especially meaningful. Painted near the end of the artist’s turbulent life, the work captures the Magdalene suspended between earthly suffering and divine transcendence. Her head falls backward, her eyes nearly closed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Emerging from the surrounding darkness, her illuminated figure conveys an extraordinary mixture of anguish, repentance, sensuality, and spiritual surrender.

What makes the painting so compelling is Caravaggio’s remarkable ability to transform a profoundly religious subject into an intensely human experience. There is nothing distant or idealized about his Magdalene. Her suffering is palpable, her ecstasy mysterious, and her beauty inseparable from her sorrow.

The painting’s dramatic history, including its disappearance from public view for centuries and eventual rediscovery, adds another layer of fascination to an already extraordinary work.

On view through November 6th, this intimate exhibition offers a wonderful opportunity to encounter Caravaggio's genius firsthand. Admission is free, making it all the more worthwhile for anyone who appreciates the enduring beauty and spiritual intensity of the Baroque master's art.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, October 21st, Feast of Blessed Karl I of Austria

A Farewell to the Eternal City

Mattino a Ponte Sisto (Morning at Ponte Sisto), 1955, oil on canvas, Francesco Trombadori (1886-1961). Perhaps it was fortuitous that I inadvertently omitted this painting from my earlier post about visiting Rome’s Galleria d’Arte Moderna. Depicting a tranquil view of the Tiber and Ponte Sisto, it seems a fitting addition to this final installment of my Italian travelogue

Previous: The Splendor of Parma Cathedral

The final evening and morning of my Italian sojourn were spent in Rome, a fitting conclusion to my travels.

After visiting the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, I met up with a friend for dinner at a contemporary Roman osteria, where we enjoyed a wonderful selection of seasonal dishes, including zucca in saor, terrina di lingua di vitello scottata, patate sfogliate croccanti, and medaglioni di coda al sugo.

After dinner, we walked off our meal with a romantic passeggiata through the Eternal City. We first made our way to the Spanish Steps and the Church of Santissima Trinità dei Monti, where we attended Mass, before continuing on to admire the illuminated Column of Marcus Aurelius, Trajan’s Column, and the Colosseum. As I had during my previous visit to the Eternal City, I made it a point to drink from the nasoni, Rome’s distinctive public drinking fountains.

The following morning, we attended Mass at the Basilica del Sacro Cuore di Gesù for the Feast of Our Lady of Victory and the Most Holy Rosary. Afterward, we lingered in my hotel courtyard over caffè and cornetti, and I read her some Rilke.

With the morning slipping away, it was time to say a reluctant goodbye. My journey had come to an end, but as always, leaving Italy was easier said than done.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, October 20th, Feast of St. John Cantius

Le Giornate Medievali di Brindisi di Montagna: Un Fine Settimana con il Due Sicilie Camper Club

A Prayer for Europe

L'Arcangelo Michele by Paolo de Matteis

In light of the troubling reports of escalating violence and destruction across Europe, our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims of the unrest. May St. Benedict of Nursia, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Joan of Arc, and St. Andrew Corsini, traditionally invoked against civil disturbances and riots, intercede on their behalf and watch over the peoples of Europe.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Remembering Emmanuel Dufournel

The Death of Emmanuel Dufournel

"I am happy to see these 14 wounds flowing with all my blood for the glory of the church. The Fourteenth is my way of the cross!" *

In memory of 2nd Lieutenant Emmanuel Dufournel (b. Poligny 22 February, 1840 — d. Valentano 20 October 1867), Papal Zouave who died fighting the Garibaldini at the battle of Farnese, we pray for the happy repose of his soul.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen 

* Quoted from Papal Zouave History

Photo of the Week: Roman Statue of "Lycurgus or Lysias" in the Vatican

Photo by New York Scugnizzo

Our Lady of Champion at the Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in Raritan, New Jersey

Remembering Marie Antoinette, Queen of France

Marie Antoinette, Queen of France (2 Nov. 1755–16 Oct. 1793)

On Friday, October 16th, a small group of friends gathered for our annual dinner in memory of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France and Navarre. Ordinarily, I would have organized a larger affair, but recent travels, work, family obligations, and preparations for an upcoming trip to Napoli had occupied much of my attention. As the occasion fell on a Friday, we eschewed meat in favor of an assortment of eggplant dishes, a veritable Sagra della Melanzana. Though modest in scale, the evening was no less meaningful, as guests raised their glasses in tribute to the martyred queen, whose grace, dignity, and courage continue to inspire devotion more than two centuries after her death. Viva ’a Reggina!

Caponata

Melanzane sott'olio

Polpette di milinciani

Pasta alla Norma

The Splendor of Parma Cathedral

Previous: The Splendor of Santa Maria della Steccata

Among the most impressive places I visited during my stay in Parma was the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, better known as Parma Cathedral, a magnificent example of Romanesque architecture.

Consecrated in 1106, the cathedral's greatest artistic treasure is undoubtedly Correggio’s extraordinary fresco of the Assumption of the Virgin, which transforms the cathedral’s dome into a breathtaking vision of heaven.

Looking upward, it is easy to understand why Correggio’s masterpiece has inspired wonder for nearly five centuries.

Next: A Farewell to the Eternal City

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, October 18th, Feast of San Luca Evangelista