The Veneration of the Virgin Mary from the Perspective of Cultic Representations: Two Transylvanian Devotional Images

The paper explores the cult of the Virgin Mary in Transylvania in light of two prominent cultic representations: the late Gothic–early Renaissance devotional statue of Csíksomlyó (Șumuleu Ciuc, 16th century) and the icon of the Piarist (former Jesuit) Church in Kolozsvár (Cluj, 17th century). Both played a major role in Marian devotion over the centuries. The cult of Mary in Transylvania and the use of these devotional representations were closely connected with the Franciscan and Jesuit missions.