of Concordantia, however, meaning the unity of the Old and New Testament and therefore of Judaism and Church, which was so prominent in the beginnings of the Christian religion, hasn’t lost its significance today. Therefore, SYNAGOGA is also a symbol of approach.

Some notes on the iconography of Synagoga

As a sign of her stubbornness Synagoga is blindfolded and drooping, and her crown has fallen off her head. In her hand she carries a broken lance, symbolizing the the end of her reign. She has to do without a coat or a cape, she is disrobed and powerless.

The attributes with which the Synagoga figure is portrayed are used to illustrate the supersession of her authority by the Christian Ecclesia: the Tablets of the Law slipping from her hand, a circumcision instrument, or a chalice pointing downward.

In some representations she carries a sheep or a goat, signifying Old Testament sacrifice. In later depictions the animal in her arm is serves as a sign for indulgence and lechery (Luxuria). In a different context, it often symbolizes Christ - the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) - for whose death the Jews were still blamed even in modern times.

SYNAGOGA

Within the realm of Christian theology, literature and fine art, Synagoga, who is commonly depicted as a woman, is the typological symbol of Judaism. The images show sculptures from medieval church portals, which epitomize the old people of God, oftentimes contrasted with the figure of Ecclesia, also a woman figure and symbol of the Christian church. In medieval Christian art, Ecclesia and Synagoga often appear together as a pair of figures personifying the Christian and Jewish religions.

The representation of Synagoga in the HEBREWS cycle wants to “[provide] insight into some moments in history and also allow for reflections on present times.” In this case, the SYNAGOGA works aren’t concerned with the exposure of ritual objects or archaeological finds, but rather with the portrayal of Christian accounts of Judaism.

The thematic investigation into the HEBREWS CYCLE allows for further work on this specific representation of Judaism.

Synagoga confirms the inseparable connection between both religions and illustrates their common roots. Without Synagoga, Ecclesia, the Christian Church, wouldn’t exist. For a long time, the emphasis has been on the dissociation of and the differences between the two figures and the two religions. The concept