THE CELESTIAL HEAVENS

 

 

 

 


 LADDERS and PATHS
 THAT LEAD to HEAVEN
 

 The Heavenly Spheres
Simon Marmion, 1450.

Timelines [addt'l-nav.]     †     Bibliography / Suggested Reading / Study Links [pdf]

 

 

 

 

 


 IMAGES of THE HEAVENLY PATHWAY / LADDER
 

 

 

The Dream of Jacob, School of Beuron

Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent, Modern Icon

Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent, Russian, 16th c.

Codex Benedictus,

Vat. Lat. 1202, c. 1070

Biondo, The Death of Benedict, 1370

Aretino, 1388, The Death of Benedict and the Disciples Vision of the Heavenly Path

I rejoiced when I heard them say, let us go to God's House, 1450

Rossano Gospels, The Entry Into Jerusalem, 6th c. ,

EMMAUS, 1640

EMMAUS, Aelst 1530

Spagnoli, The Church - The Path to Salvation, 1366, Florence

Osservanza, Antony Searches for Paul, 1440.

Ghirlandaio, Francis Receives the Stigmata,1484

Lotto, Allegoy of  The Pathway to Virtue and the Shipwreck of Vice, 1505

di Michelino, Dante and the Pathways of Hell and Purgatory, 1465

Dante in the Procession in the GARDEN of EDEN atop Mount Purgatory, Di Paolo, 1440

Dante, Paradiso,

Peter Damian and the Stairway to Heaven, 14th c.

 

 

THE DIALOGUES of GREGORY the GREAT
BOOK II

 

 

CHAPTER 37: THE  DEATH
 and ASCENT of BENEDICT

XXXVIII

 

 

 

 
THE same year in which he departed this life, he foretold the day of his holy death to his monks, some of whom lived daily with him, and some who dwelt far off; desiring those who were present to keep it secret, and telling those who were absent by what sign they would know that he was dead. XXXVII. Eodem uero anno, quo de hac uita erat exiturus, quibusdam discipulis secum conuersantibus, quibusdam longe manentibus sanctissimi sui obitus denuntiauit diem, praesentibus indicens ut audita per silentium tegerent, absentibus indicans quod uel quale eis signum fieret, quando eius anima de corpore exiret.
 2. Six days before he departed [this life] he ordered his tomb to opened, and soon seized with fever he began to be consumed by burning. And as the illness daily increased, on the sixth day he commanded his monks to carry him into the oratory where, fortified for his departure by receiving the body and blood of the Lord, his failing body supported in the hands of his disciples, he stood with his own hands lifted up to heaven and breathed his last while offering prayer.

2. Ante sextum uero sui exitus diem, aperiri sibi sepulturam iubet . Qui mox correptus febribus, acri coepit ardore fatigari . Cumque per dies singulos languor ingrauesceret, sexto die portari se in oratorium a discipulis fecit , ibique exitum suum dominici corporis et sanguinis perceptione muniuit, atque inter discipulorum manus inbecilla membra sustentans, erectis in caelum manibus stetit et ultimum spiritum inter uerba orationis efflauit

 3. On the same day two brothers, one in his cell and the other far distant, received a revelation concerning him by means of an identical vision. 3. Qua scilicet die duobus de eo fratribus, uni in cella commoranti, alteri autem longius posito, reuelatio unius atque indissimilis uisionis apparuit.
For they saw a path strewn with carpets and innumerable bright lights, stretching towards the East, extending from his cell, reaching into heaven. Viderunt namque quia strata palliis atque innumeris corusca lampadibus uia recto orientis tramite ab eius cella in caelum usque tendebatur.
at the top of which stood a venerable man, splendidly dressed who asked whether they knew who had passed that way. They answered that they did not know.  Cui uenerando habitu uir desuper; clarus adsistens, cuius esset uia, quam cernerent, inquisiuit. Illi autem se nescire professi sunt.
Then he said to them, “This is the path on which the Lord’s beloved Benedict ascended to heaven.” Quibus ipse ait : «Haec est uia, qua dilectus Domino caelum Benedictus ascendit.»
And thus just as the disciples who were present had seen the death of the holy man, so those who were absent knew of it by the sign he had foretold. Tunc itaque sancti uiri obitum, sicut praesentes discipuli uiderunt, ita absentes ex signo, quod eis praedictum fuerat, agnouerunt.
 4. He was buried  in the oratory of St. John Baptist which he himself constructed when he destroyed the altar of Apollo. 4. Sepultus uero est in oratorio beati Baptistae Iohannis, quod, destructa ara Apollinis, ipse construxit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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