Blessing of an Abbess of Nuns
Texts and Images
Three miniatures showing a bishop ordaining an abbess and giving her a book containing the rule for her religious house illustrate this part of the manuscript. In all three miniatures, the crosier entrusted to the abbess is rendered in silver, rather than gold, which was used for the abbot’s crosier and the bishop’s own pastoral staff.
Bishop handing crosier to the abbess (Blessing of an Abbess of Nuns)
The crosier entrusted to the abbess is rendered in silver, although gold is used for abbots’ and bishops’ crosiers throughout the manuscript. Silver, the less precious metal, was probably used to signal the abbess’ gender and lower status. The partial bar border and ornamental initial A are decorated with foliate motifs. A bishop blesses a kneeling abbess in the historiated initial C. Two dancing figures, one clutching bag-pipes, are shown in the bas-de-page.