Name that saint.

July 28, 2005 10:37 PM

Can you help me identify a religious statue?

I was at an Italian festival last week and there was a display of catholic religious statues. One was very creepy. It was a bearded man holding the skin from someone's face rapped around his arm. I was wondering what the story behind this statue was.

posted by drezdn to Religion & Philosophy (6 answers total)

Best answer: Is it the statue pictured here? That might be a starting point.
posted by null terminated at 11:01 PM on July 28, 2005

Response by poster: I can't make out the left arm well enough. I don't think that's the exact statue for sure though.
posted by drezdn at 11:13 PM on July 28, 2005

Response by poster: It looks like that's definitely not the same statue, but might be the right saint (with the flayed skin and whatnot).
posted by drezdn at 11:16 PM on July 28, 2005

Best answer: Bartholomew was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 12:08 AM on July 29, 2005

[T]radition holds that in Armenia he was flayed alive and then crucified with his head upside down.

(hit post too soon, not used to this live preview yet)
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 12:10 AM on July 29, 2005

Without seeing the statue, that sounds like St Bartholomew - he's often depicted either carrying a flaying knife or with (his own) skin hanging on his arm. It made him the patron saint of something like leather-goods people or tanners or something.

on preview - that wikipedia entry says everything (and more than) I know
posted by bunglin jones at 2:01 AM on July 29, 2005