Santa Úrsula e as onze mil virgens segundo as traduções portuguesas quinhentistas da Legenda Áurea

Abstract

St Ursula is the patron saint of the Ursulines. In the 16th century, two Portuguese versions were produced of the section of the Legenda Aurea Sanctorum by Blessed James of Voragine O.P. containing the Legend of Saint Ursula and her eleven thousand virgin companions. In addition, two types of images of these martyr saints appear in the Legendaries of Saints that appeared in Portugal during that century: one of these portrays the martyrdom of the Saints and the other shows them standing, their heads surrounded by a nimbus. This paper discusses the above-mentioned texts and illustrations. It also discusses the recent discovery in the Public Library in Evora of a woodcut printed in a book published in the same century representing the Holy Trinity as a single figure on a throne.