Queen of the Vatican: Journey in the footsteps of Matilda of Canossa

by Selma Sevenhuijsen, Dafne M. Arlman (Illustrator)

‘Nothing happens by coincidence, it’s all meant to be’. In the magical year 2012 Selma Sevenhuijsen discovered an image of a double-tailed mermaid, traditionally a symbol of the feminine Divine, in St. Peter’s in Rome. She sits above the tomb of Matilda of Canossa, an Italian countess from the 11th century, whose funerary monument was designed by the famous sculptor Bernini. Selma wanted to know what was behind this and started on a journey. In this book she takes the reader with her on her voyage of discovery right across Italy along places where Matilda has left her traces. Matilda’s life contains a surprisingly topical message for anyone who cares about the position of the feminine in religion. The makers of Matilda’s tomb left a sign about this for those who have eyes to see. ‘Il tempo ritorna’, the time returns…

190 pages, Paperback

Published December 2, 2015