An Oak Mercy Seat Or Misericord With A Sacred Heart, Circa 1600

A beautifully carved and ancient mercy seat depicting a sacred heart with flames, surrounded by scrolls and leaves. A misericorde is a small wooden hinged support or ledge located under the folding seats of a church, usually from the medieval period. When the stall seat is folded, the projecting mercy seat forms a ledge to lean on while standing. While not quite a siege, the miserere generally provides support for monks, canons, and other clergy who would rely on it. This was useful for the elderly and infirm when it was necessary to stand during long services – particularly in the Roman Catholic faith – as it reduced their discomfort.

The Sacred Heart Sacred Heart, in Roman Catholicism, the mystical-physical heart of Jesus as an object of devotion. The use of Jesus' heart to symbolize his love for humanity is found not in the Bible but in the writings of some medieval mystics. The devotion was encouraged by Carthusian and Jesuit priests and promoted by St. Francis de Sales. The devotion became particularly popular after the disclosure of private revelations to a French Visitandine nun, Saint Marguerite-Marie Alacoque, in the late 17th century. Helped by Claude de la Colombière, her confessor, she demanded the establishment of a feast in honor of the Sacred Heart and prayers for reparation for sins, particularly those directed against the Eucharist. In 1856, Pope Pius IX introduced the holiday into the general calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. Source: Brittanica

Origin: French
Dimensions: 38 x 23 x 14 cm.
Condition: excellent. No restaurations