ST. ANDREW

de VORAGINE’S STORY OF ST. ANDREW

          by Joan K. Yanni

If you have noticed the strange woman in the painting Episode in the Life of St. Andrew in the Northern Renaissance room, you may have wondered what was going on.  The painting depicts a story about St. Andrew related in The Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine.

A bishop who had great devotion to St. Andrew and who led an exemplary life was noticed by the devil, who decided to lead him astray.  The devil turned himself into a beautiful woman who appeared at the bishop's door asking for help.  The good bishop took her in, gave her shelter, and was about to succumb to her charms when a stranger knocked at the door and asked for aid.  The bishop was about to admit the stranger when the lady protested, saying he could be an evil one.    She suggested asking three questions to test him.  He answered all correctly until the last:  "How far is the distance from heaven to earth?"  The stranger responded, "Go ask that of the one who sent thee, for he knows better than I.  He measured it when he fell from heaven to the depths."  At these words the woman/devil disappeared, as did the stranger.  The bishop suddenly understood all that had happened and prayed that God might reveal the identity of the one who had saved him.  That night God revealed in a dream that the pilgrim had been St. Andrew.

The painting takes some liberties.  In the story, St. Andrew did not enter the room of the bishop, but the painter shows him there. He also shows the woman turning into a devil, with feet and hands becoming claws.  The meaning of the pan that the servant is holding is unclear.  Perhaps a devil's face would be reflected in it.