Marriage at Cana

The series of capitals with representations of the Incarnation of Christ, as confirmed by aristocrats (the Three Magi), by the common people (shepherds), and by religious dignitaries (Simeon), is continued in this capital (Marriage at Cana) with episodes from the public life of Jesus.
The guests at the marriage feast sit at a richly decked table, gesticulating in a lively manner. On the west side of the capital, the head of a young beardless man appears next to a bearded man, who turns his head in turn to the couple sitting beside him: a woman with veil and chin-strap and a severely damaged figure on the south-west corner of the capital. This corner figure is being dressed by a servant in a short tunic. On the opposite north-west corner of the capital Christ with the crown on his head is looking backwards to Mary, who is also wearing a crown. It is the moment in which the Virgin tells her son that the wine has run out.
On the same side of the capital on the north-east corner the face of the standing Christ can still be recognized; but much of his profile has been lost. He blesses a large vessel at his feet and so transforms water into wine.
The east side of the capital has not survived, so it cannot be confirmed whether five further stone jars were represented in this scene, as described in John’s Gospel (Jn 2:1-11).
This first miracle of the adult Christ is eucharistic in kind, and like the capital N04PP03 its position is to be interpreted in relation to its proximity to the church and the celebration of the Eucharist that takes place there. The Marriage of Cana symbolises Christ’s betrothal to his Church and manifests the glory that anticipates Easter.

Christ shawl guest feast Cana marriage Mary