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Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Chapel of the Corporal at the Cathedral of Orvieto

The Cathedral at Orvieto

Chapel of the Corporal

Reliquary

Detail of the Reliquary

It is said that one of the main reasons for the construction of the Cathedral of Orvieto in 1290 was to house in a proper place the corporal of the Miracle of Bolsena.

There was a Catheral prior to this: however, it was old and perhaps not as dignified as befitted the importance of the town in the thirteenth century.

In any event, the Cathedral houses the Chapel of the Corporal.

The chapel is decorated with frescoes depicting miracles concerning the bleeding host throughout church history. The frescoes were painted between 1357 and 1363.

The artists were Ugolino di Prete Ilaro, Domenico di Meo and Giovanni di Buccio Leonardelli.

At the centre of the chapel is a large golden reliquary containing the bloodstained corporal, which was built by Ugolino di Vieri in 1339.

Full views of the Chapel and its interior can be accessed at the following websites:

http://www.bebilterrazzo.it/orvieto_turismo/cappella_corporale.html

http://www.opsm.it/fla/corporale.html

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