Victimae Paschali laudes | Easter Liturgy and the Fine Arts 

20 Apr 2011 - 21 Aug 2011
Olomouc Archdiocesan Museum
Crucified Christ with moving arms 2nd decade of the 16th century, wood, polychrome, Litovel, St. George's Chapel
Crucified Christ with moving arms 2nd decade of the 16th century, wood, polychrome, Litovel, St. George's Chapel
Cloister

The opening words of the Easter liturgical sequence sung to celebrate Christs sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection link the liturgy with the works of art used for the visual representation of the Easter events in the ceremonies performed in church. The central item of the exhibition is the newly restored statue of Christ Crucified with movable arms from Litovel (16th century), that used to be taken down from the cross on Good Friday and folded into the Holy Sepulchre and that received special veneration. This unique piece is accompanied by other works of art selected with regard to their meaning and function in the Easter Triduum. The exhibition thus presents the biblical story of Christs Passion from Christs arrival in Jerusalem, his messianic sacrifice on the Cross, to the eventual Resurrection and Ascension in close connection with liturgical texts and the historical forms of Easter ceremonies.