Saint Eutropius church of Saintes

The St. Eutropius Church in Saintes (Eglise Saint Eutrope) is named after the bishop-missionary-saint who died as a martyr in the third century AD. The church, built in 1081, is a masterpiece of Romanesque art, later updated in other styles. This church - with the tomb of St. Eutropius - is an important stop on the Santiago pilgrimage route.
One of the splendid capitals depicts here the 'weighing of souls.' The angel Michael holds the balance, with two special baskets. A demon tries to weigh down the right basket with a stick. Behind this demon stands a second demon, possibly a woman.

The 'weighing of souls' is a theme that is repeatedly found in Christian art (Cathedral of Amiens), but also in ancient Egyptian art!

After the time of the Old Kingdom, during the First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom (2181 BCE - 1786 BCE), the concept of the Day of Judgment became widespread. Ma'at, the goddess of truth, and Anubis, the god of embalming, are depicted here, together with a large balance. In one scale lies a feather (of Ma'at), and in the other scale is placed the heart of the deceased - actually the heart of the soul - which symbolizes the intellect and emotions of the deceased. If the deceased was found innocent, the heart and feather were in balance. If guilty, the heart of the deceased was thrown to the 'Devourer.'

Thierry!