Graftombe van koningin Maria I van Schotland in Westminster Abbey in Londen c. 1870 - 1890

Francis Godolphin Osbourne Stuart captured this albumen print of Queen Mary I's tomb in Westminster Abbey. The effigy of Mary atop her tomb bears witness to the enduring power of symbols. Note her hands, clasped in perpetual prayer—a gesture of piety and supplication. We see echoes of this motif across centuries, from medieval devotional images to Renaissance portraits. Consider the raised hands: the *orans* gesture. This potent symbol appears as early as the Roman catacombs, depicting figures in prayer, reaching out to the divine. In the Middle Ages, this gesture evolved, signifying not only prayer but also protection and intercession. Ultimately, these symbols do not follow a linear path. Instead they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts, reflecting our collective search for meaning.