Forbidden love

by Bert Hermans · Gouda, NL

This painting shows part of the cloister attached to the cathedral in Barcelona. The Gothic Cathedral of Barcelona is located on Plaça de la Seu. It is the main church of the Archdiocese of Barcelona and is dedicated to Saint Eulalia of Mérida, who died a martyr in 304. In the garden of the monastery, where palm trees and orange trees grow, there are also thirteen white geese, the number of which refers to the fact that Eulalia was thirteen years old when she was martyred for not wanting to make sacrifices to the Roman gods. The punishment was very cruel. When she died a white dove flew from Eulalia's mouth. In the painting she is in the lower right corner of the corridor with the pigeon just above her. The image of Eulalia is inspired by the painting 'Saint Eulalia' (1885) by John William Waterhouse. In the background of this painting two men walk hand-in-hand. That image refers to the title of the painting 'Forbidden Love'. After all, the Vatican has recently reaffirmed the teaching of the Catholic Church that homosexuality is a "sin": forbidden love. Saint Eulalia had to pay for her love for the Church with death by the Romans. The paradox of 'forbidden love'.