The arrival of St. Ursula and her companions in Rome to meet Pope Cyriacus, from the Reliquary of St. Ursula 1489

Hans Memling painted this panel depicting Saint Ursula's arrival in Rome as part of a reliquary around 1489 in Bruges. Consider the institutional context of this work, housed within a reliquary commissioned for a hospital dedicated to Saint John. Ursula, a legendary British princess, embarked on a pilgrimage to Rome with eleven thousand virgins. The scene unfolds amidst meticulously rendered architecture, highlighting the city's grandeur. Notice the Pope greeting Ursula, underscoring the power and authority of the Catholic Church in the late 15th century. On the right, a monk baptizes converts. This panel is a testament to religious devotion and the Church's role in shaping social and spiritual life. Delving deeper, we can explore the reliquary's purpose and its intended audience through hospital records and religious texts. This helps us to understand how art was used to reinforce faith and social norms in the late medieval period.