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Throughout centuries in Europe, the finest artistic creations were dedicated to Christianity. Wealthy nobles and the Church commissioned these works to demonstrate their devotion. Saints became a common theme in art, as depictions of their lives and martyrdoms served as powerful symbols of faith.
These artworks continue to resonate with audiences today, often stirring deep emotions. However, some depictions intended to inspire reverence now bring a touch of amusement. These peculiar representations are not anomalies but rather standard, albeit unconventional, symbols used to portray saints. Below are ten examples of such oddly fascinating saintly images.
10. St. Bartholomew’s Flayed Skin
St. Bartholomew, one of Jesus' apostles, led a remarkable life following the crucifixion. Like his fellow apostles, he was tasked with spreading God's word, but his mission took him to distant lands. Tradition places him in Mesopotamia, Ethiopia, or most frequently, India. There, he toppled idols, shared the Gospel of Matthew, and exorcised demons. His journey eventually led him to Armenia, where he reportedly met a gruesome fate.
Bartholomew converted the Armenian king's brother, which infuriated the king. In retaliation, the king ordered Bartholomew to be skinned alive. This is why many statues and paintings depict Bartholomew holding his own skin. In works like Michelangelo's The Last Judgment, he appears both with and without skin, while other artists opted for a more graphic portrayal, showing him draped in his bloody flesh. Such depictions ensure his sacrifice for his faith is never forgotten.
9. St. Antipas’s Bronze Bull
Little is definitively known about Saint Antipas of Pergamum. A brief reference in the Book of Revelation states, “Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.” This martyrdom has inspired some strikingly unusual depictions of the saint.
Legend has it that St. Antipas faced persecution from the pagan priests of Pergamum for refusing to worship at their temples. When confronted with the statement, “The whole world is against you!” Antipas boldly responded, “Then I am against the whole world!” For his defiance, the priests dragged him to the temple of Artemis and placed him inside a hollow bronze bull. A fire was lit beneath it, roasting the saint alive. Many artistic depictions of Antipas highlight this gruesome aspect of his martyrdom.
Today, St. Antipas is revered as the patron saint of those suffering from toothaches—a curious association that might imply either that toothaches are more agonizing than commonly believed or that burning to death is less excruciating than imagined.
8. St. Romanus’s Severed Tongue
When silencing a dissenter seems necessary, removing their tongue might appear effective. This is precisely what the Romans did to Saint Romanus after he defied them. In many paintings, the saint is depicted holding his severed tongue, symbolizing his unwavering faith despite the brutality he endured.
St. Romanus lived as a Christian during a perilous era when such faith was met with hostility. Around AD 300, the Roman Empire persecuted Christians for refusing to honor its official deities. During one such wave of persecution, Christians were offered leniency if they made offerings to pagan gods. When St. Romanus urged his fellow prisoners to resist, he was singled out for severe punishment.
He was first beaten, then suspended and cut with blades, and finally, his tongue was ripped out. Despite this brutal mutilation, the saint miraculously retained the ability to speak, leading to his eventual beheading. Today, he is often depicted holding his tongue, a symbol of his enduring proclamation of faith.
7. St. Margaret and the Dragon’s Stomach
St. Margaret of Antioch has long been a favorite subject for artists due to the dramatic events of her life. As the patron saint of childbirth (for reasons explained later), she was frequently invoked for assistance, resulting in numerous artistic depictions of her trials and triumphs.
As a young maiden, Margaret caught the eye of a Roman official, who became infatuated with her. However, her steadfast Christian faith led her to reject his advances. Angered by her refusal, he had her imprisoned. While in captivity, the Devil appeared to her as a dragon and swallowed her whole. Through prayer, Margaret miraculously escaped by bursting out of the creature’s belly, a feat that later linked her to the patronage of childbirth.
Artists found this imagery captivating, and St. Margaret is frequently depicted emerging from dragons of various forms. She is often shown crawling out of their stomachs, her hair and garments miraculously free from the surrounding gore.
6. St. Wilgefortis
Many have experienced the desire to escape an unwanted date, but few have taken measures as extreme as St. Wilgefortis to avoid romantic entanglements.
Wilgefortis, known by various names, became a legendary figure due to her folktale-like story. As the tale goes, she was the daughter of a pagan king who had vowed eternal virginity. Despite her sacred promise, her father arranged her marriage to another king. Desperate to avoid the union, Wilgefortis prayed to God to disfigure her appearance, and upon waking, she found herself with a miraculous beard. The wedding was promptly canceled.
However, her father was far from pleased with her newfound appearance and ordered her execution by crucifixion. This explains the numerous depictions of a bearded woman on a cross found in churches worldwide.
5. St. Roch and His Licked Wounds
St. Roch is a lesser-known saint whose imagery combines both charm and decay. The charm comes from his loyal dog, who is almost always depicted by his side. The less appealing aspect is the festering sores he is often shown displaying.
St. Roch was born into nobility, and his future saintliness was foretold by a cross-shaped birthmark on his chest. After his parents passed away, he donated all his wealth to the poor and embraced a life of holiness. His extreme poverty would have led to his demise if not for a dog that brought him bread. Additionally, the dog licked his infected leg sores, saving him from further suffering. While most paintings depict him with the dog, some go further, showing the dog actively licking his wounds.
Today, St. Roch is revered as the patron saint of dogs and skin ailments, though neither veterinarians nor dermatologists recommend licking as a treatment for wounds.
4. St. Lucy’s Eyes on a Plate
While many women might say, “My eyes are up here!” to redirect attention, St. Lucy’s depictions often show her holding a plate with her own eyes resting on it, making her a unique figure in religious art.
St. Lucy was a devout Christian, unlike her mother, who arranged her marriage to a pagan suitor. Lucy, however, wished to remain chaste and use her dowry to aid the poor. She took her mother to the tomb of Saint Agatha (whom we’ll discuss later) and prayed for her mother’s healing from an illness. Miraculously, her mother recovered and immediately converted to Christianity. This occurred during the fourth-century Roman persecution of Christians, and Lucy’s fiancé, angered by her faith, reported her to the authorities.
Refusing to renounce her beliefs, Lucy endured severe torture, including the gruesome removal of her eyes. Some traditions even claim she plucked out her own eyes to deter her suitor from marrying her.
3. St. Christopher with a Canine Head
St. Christopher is among the most revered Christian saints, often depicted on medals worn by travelers seeking his guidance to return home safely. Typically, he is shown carrying the Christ child across a river, but less commonly, he is portrayed with the head of a dog.
In some early depictions, St. Christopher is portrayed with cynocephaly—a dog’s head. This unusual representation arose from ancient misconceptions about distant lands and texts. Beyond the known world, people believed in exotic human varieties, such as one-footed tribes that hopped, chest-faced individuals, and even cities inhabited by dog-headed humans.
One explanation for St. Christopher’s dog-headed portrayal is a misinterpretation of the term “Canaanite” (cananeus), mistakenly read as “dog-man” (canineus). Though such depictions have largely faded, they can still be found in certain churches and ancient manuscripts. After all, he was a faithful servant.
2. The Lactation of St. Bernard
St. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is often revered as the epitome of womanhood. Artistic representations of her nursing the infant Christ were widespread in churches, symbolizing her nurturing role for all humanity. While this nurturing was symbolic, one saint experienced a more literal form of spiritual nourishment.
Legend has it that while St. Bernard was deep in prayer, the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus appeared to him in a vision. As the child paused from nursing, Mary placed her breast in St. Bernard’s mouth, offering him nourishment. Another version of the story describes Mary projecting milk from a distance, with one account claiming the milk struck his eye, curing him of an ailment. Artistic depictions often show a dramatic stream of milk reaching the kneeling saint.
In a different variation, St. Bernard is not shown drinking the milk but being baptized by it as it lands directly on his forehead.
1. St. Agatha’s Breasts on a Plate
St. Agatha, who had assisted St. Lucy, shares a similar artistic representation. However, instead of holding her eyes, she is often depicted carrying her severed breasts. The story of how they were removed is central to her sainthood.
Agatha, one of the most honored early martyrs, was born in Sicily. Renowned for her beauty, she received numerous marriage proposals but had committed to a life of devout chastity from a young age. However, a high-ranking Roman named Quintianus refused to respect her vows. After repeated rejections, he reported her Christian faith to the authorities and ensured she was brought before him as the presiding judge.
The biased judge took pleasure in torturing the woman he had once desired to marry. Among his brutal acts was the removal of her breasts. This gruesome detail has captivated many artists, leading to frequent depictions of St. Agatha holding her severed breasts on a plate.
