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Overview of The Symbolic Jachin and Boaz Pillars
Overview of The Symbolic Jachin and Boaz Pillars
1: fence (dated 1498 AD) of the main entrance hall of the Magdeburg cathedral
1 In this report all orientations labeled right and left refer to the position as viewed while entering the building by
the main gate and walking to the altar.
I photographed the columns from outside the fence. In this section the original decorations at the
walls and ceiling seem to be unaltered.
St. Maurice (red) and St. Catherine (blue/red) at the Magdeburg cathedral
The following pair of photographs depict St. Maurice (dressed in red) respectively St. Catherine
(dressed in a blue dress and red robe) In the far background their corresponding pillars (red
respectively blue) are shown as well.
Location
Left
Right
Magdeburg cathedral
Blue pillar
Red pillar
Magdeburg cathedral
Blue pillar
Red pillar
Magdeburg cathedral
St. Catherine
(dressed in blue & red)
St. Maurice
(dressed in red)
Mainz cathedral
Red pillar
Wrzburg cathedral
Boaz pillar
Summary
In the second half of the Middle Age entrances for cathedrals may have been designed according to
the descriptions of Solomon's Temple. Between 1230 and 1644 the Wrzburg Kilian cathedral has
been equipped with pillars labeled Booz and Jachin. The Jachin pillar still shows red paint patterns.
According to 1 Kings 7:21 KJV the Jachin pillar had been the right-sided and Boaz the left-sided
pillar. The Mainz cathedral's main entrance uses a red, right-sided pillar and a blueish dark, leftsided pillar, which may represent Jachin respectively Boaz.
At the right side the Magdeburg cathedral is equipped with red pillars at the main entrance hall and
behind the rood screen. At the right side (etymologically: the correct side) also a sculpture of the
male saint St. Maurice (in a red coat) is located.
At the left side the Magdeburg cathedral is equipped with blue pillars at the main entrance hall and
behind the rood screen. At the left side (etymologically: the incorrect side) also a sculpture of the
female saint St. Catherine (in a blue dress and red coat) is located.
The capitels may symbolize lily works.
The red pillars therefore may symbolize the male (right-sided, correct?) Jachin-pillars, whereas the
blue pillars may symbolize the female (left-sided, incorrect?) Boaz-pillars.
In a photograph the left pillar may look relatively blue, but my inspection reveals the slate stone is
really black. In fact slate is defined as a dark bluish gray color3. Slate gray is a gray color with a
slight azure tinge that is a representation of the average color of the material slate. As a tertiary
color, slate is an equal mix of purple and green pigments4.
13: The Booz and Jachim pillars at the Wrzburg Cathedral (1230)
The 8-segmented Iachim-pillar had been equipped with a complex knot, whereas the 4-segmented
Boaz-pillar has been decorated with two simpler knots.
5
6
7
8
Source for the red, right-sided J- and the blue, left-sided B-pillar
According to 1 Kings 7:21 KJV the pillar Jachin was the right pillar and the left pillar was Boaz.
And the capitels were lily work:
21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and
called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof
Boaz.
22 And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.
In Hermetic papers Jachin usually is depicted in red and Boaz in violet blue 9. This may be seen in
Apokalyptic Seal 10, in which the red J-pillar arises from the sea and the violet blue B-pillar arises
from a rock. A
s suggested in the painting these colors red and blue are the rainbow's border colors.
Table of Contents
Symbolism in the Magdeburg cathedral.........................................................................................1
Red and blue pillars at the main entrance hall............................................................................1
Pillars behind the rood screen of the Magdeburg cathedral........................................................3
St. Maurice (red) and St. Catherine (blue/red) at the Magdeburg cathedral..............................4
Overview of color and pillar symbolism.....................................................................................5
Summary.....................................................................................................................................5
Appendix 1 - The Colors at the Main Gate of the Mainz Cathedral................................................6
The Corinthian Capitals of the Mainz cathedral's entrance pillars.............................................7
Appendix 2 - The pillars Booz and Jachim in Wrzburg................................................................8
Source for the red, right-sided J- and the blue, left-sided B-pillar..............................................9