8. Our Lady of All Saints

You are standing before the Gothic altarpiece of Our Lady of All Saints.

It is undoubtedly one of the Monastery’s greatest treasures. Created in the workshop of Pere Serra, the altarpiece reflects the artistry of one of the leading masters of Catalan Gothic painting.

At the centre of the altarpiece, the Virgin Mary is seated majestically, holding a rose in her hand. The Christ Child rests on her lap and, in a tender gesture, places his hand upon the breast that nourished him.

Mary’s face conveys serenity, modesty, and delicate beauty, drawing the viewer into quiet contemplation. Around her, six angels play different medieval instruments, filling the scene with a sense of harmony. Music is in fact a key element of the heavenly liturgy represented in this altarpiece.

Look closely and you will see a monk kneeling in prayer at Mary’s feet. He is the patron of the altarpiece: the person who commissioned the work.

At the top of the altarpiece, we find the scene of Christ’s Crucifixion on Calvary. At the bottom, Christ is depicted as the Man of Sorrows, exposing the wounds of his Passion.

This arrangement is far from accidental. Altarpieces were made to preside over an altar, where the priest celebrates Mass and commemorates Christ’s death and resurrection. The images of the Passion invite the faithful to enter more deeply into the liturgy, symbolically connecting heaven and earth.

And that is precisely what this altarpiece represents: a vision of heaven.

Mary and Jesus are surrounded by almost eighty saints, creating a great heavenly procession.

The altarpiece offers a vision of heaven inspired by the Book of Revelation. It evokes an immense multitude of saints gathered around the throne of God and of the Lamb.

The arrangement of the figures follows a highly precise hierarchy. At the very top are the angels, dressed in vivid shades of red and blue. Among them stand out Saint Michael the Archangel, bearing a white shield marked with a cross, and Saint Gabriel the Archangel, holding a lily, the symbol of the Annunciation.

Just below them are the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament. They can be recognised by their hexagonal halos.

On the left, you can identify Moses holding the Tablets of the Law, while on the right is King David, crowned and holding a lyre, as tradition attributes the authorship of the Psalms to him.

Further down appear the Apostles. On the left stands Saint Peter, outfitted in papal garments.

On the right, the group includes other saints especially venerated by the Church. Among them, Saint Francis of Assisi stands out. You can recognise him by the dark habit he wears and by the cord with three knots around his waist.

Finally, the lower section represents the holy women. On the left is Saint Anne, shown holding her daughter Mary in her arms. On the right is Saint Eulalia, patron saint of Barcelona, recognisable by her X-shaped cross.

Take a moment to contemplate the whole composition.

This altarpiece reminds us that the Christian faith is not lived in isolation. We are part of a great family uniting heaven and earth, those who have gone before us and those of us who are still making our journey.

This is the Communion of Saints: a large community of people who continue to pray, love, and intercede for one another.