Jun 27 2008
Statues of saints Barbara, Margaret and Elizabeth
Statues of saints Barbara, Margaret and Elizabeth were sculpted by two brothers under supervision of their father, Jan Brokoff in 1707. St. Barbara is situated in the center of the monument and Franz Kafka wrote about her, however the most artistically valuable figure in this group is the sculpture of St. Elizabeth on the left side. St. Margaret is on the right side. Saint Barbara is a Christian saint and martyr, one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers (also known as Helpers in Need), known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara. She is the patron of artillery and mining as she was invoked against lightning and fire after the lightning killed her father. Saint Margaret is virgin and martyr, also known as Margaret of Antioch (in Pisidia) and a patron saint of pregnancy. Except this statue more than 250 churches are dedicated to Saint Margaret and she is usually pictured escaping from the dragon by one of the legends. Elizabeth is best known for miracles reported during her life and after her death at her grave in the church of the hospital, especially miracles of healing. One of the miracles is turning bread into roses - whilst she was taking bread to the poor in secret, her husband asked her what was in the pouch; Elisabeth opened it and the bread turned into roses.
