Flos inter spinas

The Legends of Sts Catherine, Barbara and Margaret in Bohemian
medieval plainchant

The Virgin Mary surrounded by the holy Virgins – the frequent representation of the Queen of Virgins and her companions St Catherine of Alexandria, St Barbara and St Margaret – bears clear witness to the great reverence and attention paid to these four figures in the Middle Ages. It was holiness – the proof of the uniqueness of the individual and the afterlife of a soul – that became a very important aspect and co-creator of Christian society in the medieval West. The saints restored divinity among men – in their relics, tombs, and temples, as well as in their miracles. We will guide you through their lives, as preserved in medieval musical sources. Marian motets with medieval harp accompaniment are not to be missed.