THE PALM 143 



of the Gnostics, and there is reason to beUeve 

 of Lencius in the second century/ 



Shortly before the Virgin's death the angel 

 Gabriel again appeared to her, and ' he gave 

 her a branch of palm from Paradise which he 

 commanded should be borne before her bier.' 



This branch of palm was clearly the symbol 

 of victory over sin, since she had passed a full 

 lifetime in perfect sinlessness and her surpassing 

 sorrows had entitled her to the reward of 

 martyrdom. 



The Legend continues: 



* And the palm shone which he had left 

 behind with great clearness; it was green like 

 a natural branch and its leaves shimmered like 

 the morning star.' The palm, therefore, is 

 distinguished from the palms of the martyrs 

 by being encircled with stars. A Sienese artist 

 paints seven, ^ the sacred number, correspond- 

 ing with the Virgin's sorrows; other artists 

 give twelve, foreshadowing that there should be 

 upon her head * a crown of twelve stars.' 



Usually, in Italian pictures of the death or 

 * Dormition ' of the Virgin, an angel, or Saint John 



^ Lord Lindsay. ' Opera del Duomo, Siena. 



