The Cross That Dante Bears: Pilgrimage, Crusade, and the Cruciform Church in the Divine Comedy

241 Pages·2005·1.73 MB·English

by  Mary Alexandra Watt

The Cross That Dante Bears
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton
Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers
Florida International University, Miami
Florida State University, Tallahassee
New College of Florida, Sarasota
University of Central Florida, Orlando
University of Florida, Gainesville
University of North Florida, Jacksonville
University of South Florida, Tampa
University of West Florida, Pensacola

The Cross That Dante Bears
Pilgrimage, Crusade, and the Cruciform Church
in the Divine Comedy
Mary Alexandra Watt
University Press of Florida
Gainesville ·Tallahassee ·Tampa ·Boca Raton · Pensacola
Orlando ·Miami ·Jacksonville ·Ft. Myers · Sarasota
Copyright 2005 by Mary Alexandra Watt
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Watt, Mary Alexandra.
The cross that Dante bears: pilgrimage, crusade, and the cruciform
church in the Divine comedy / Mary Alexandra Watt.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8130-2876-7 (alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-8130-3993-0 (e-book)
1. Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321. Divina commedia. 2. Dante Alighieri,
1265-1321—Religion. I. Title.
PQ4417.W38 2005
851'.1—dc22 2005051926
The University Press of Florida is the scholarly publishing agency
for the State University System of Florida, comprising Florida A&M
University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University,
Florida International University, Florida State University, New College of
Florida, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of
North Florida, University of South Florida, and University of West Florida.
University Press of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
http://www.upf.com
To Joe, who keeps me writing the pages that follow.

In quella parte del libro de la mia memoria dinanzi a la quale poco si
potrebbe leggere, si trova una rubrica la quale dice: Incipit vita nova.
Dante, La Vita Nuova 1:1
Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Mark 8:34

Contents
List of Figures x
Preface and Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
1. Crossing Jordan: The Cruciform Journey to Jerusalem 8
2. Leaving Jerusalem: The Journey into Exile 17
3. Exodus: The Journey Back 38
4. Let Him Go Up to Jerusalem 62
5. Sign of the Cross: The Medieval Cruciform Church 76
6. Navata infernale 90
7. Toward the Light 117
8. Beyond the Rood Screen 147
Epilogue: The Cross That Dante Bears 164
Notes 183
Bibliography 215
Index 223