Vibrant colors of Quito
The Virgin of Quito statue is winged, which is unusual for depictions of the Madonna until you read the plaque on el Panecillo. It is then that you realize the symbolic nature of the figure. This is the Woman of the Apocalypse. This is the Mary described in Revelations, Chapter 12, and the wings were granted to allow her escape from the attacking dragon (Satan) beneath her feet.
Virgin of Quito standing on a dragon coiled around a crescent moon atop a globe
Unfortunately, I didn’t realize until just recently that I had seen the original Virgin of Quito, and even snapped a photo of it. If you’ve been following this series on Quito then you’ve seen it as well, in the Church of Saint Francis. Here’s a crop of a photo I unwittingly snapped of the original, complete with wings, dragon, and crescent moon:
The original Virgin of Quito
Now for today’s photo gallery and slide show of el Panecillo and the Virgin of Quito:
Decisions — Murder in Paradise
The Globe — Murder in Luxury
R. Doug Wicker — Author 