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Introduction to “The Blessed Giles Levitating before Pope Gregory IX”
“The Blessed Giles Levitating before Pope Gregory IX,” painted in 1646 by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, is a fascinating image of a quiet miracle unfolding in the heart of church authority. The scene takes place in an interior rich with red carpets and clerical robes. At the left, Pope Gregory IX sits in a high backed chair, flanked by cardinals in vivid scarlet. At the right stand two humble Franciscans in gray habits, one of them the Blessed Giles, whose sanctity is made visible through the mysterious levitation that gives the painting its title.
Murillo chooses not to show a spectacular, theatrical miracle. Instead, he concentrates on a moment of subtle astonishment and recognition. The figures are almost frozen in intense looking and listening. The careful arrangement of bodies, the interplay of red and gray, and the heavy silence suggested by the dark background all contribute to a sense that something extraordinary is taking place beneath the surface of everyday reality. This painting belongs to a series of works about Franciscan saints that Murillo executed for the Franciscan convent in Seville, and it reflects both his mature Baroque style and the devotional priorities of seventeenth century Spain.
Historical Background and the Legend of Blessed Giles
Blessed Giles of Assisi was one of the early companions of Saint Francis, renowned for his simplicity, prayer, and mystical gifts rather than for theological learning or official rank. According to Franciscan tradition, he undertook several pilgrimages and, at one point, found himself in Rome, where he sought an audience with Pope Gregory IX. The Pope, curious about the spiritual power of this humble friar, invited him to speak. During their meeting Giles fell into an ecstatic state, lifted off the ground in levitation as a sign of divine favor.
This story fits neatly into the Counter Reformation emphasis on both the supernatural presence of God in the world and the legitimacy of the papacy as guardian of the faith. By portraying a miracle in the very presence of a pope, Murillo and his patrons celebrate the harmony between radical Franciscan spirituality and institutional authority. The painting does not show a contest between prophet and hierarchy. Instead, it presents a moment when the Church recognizes and bows before a holiness that comes from God.
Murillo’s task is to make this invisible grace visible without losing the quietness of the Franciscan charism. The legend is dramatic, but his visual solution is sober, almost restrained. This balance is part of what makes the painting so compelling.
Composition and the Meeting of Two Worlds
The composition divides the canvas into two clear zones. On the left, three figures in red occupy a low platform: Pope Gregory IX seated near the center and two cardinals, one seated at the edge of the step and another kneeling or seated on the floor. On the right, framed by shadow, stand the two Franciscans, their simple habits forming a block of gray verticals. The empty dark space between these groups is not a void but a charged interval where the miracle of levitation and spiritual communication takes place.
Murillo uses perspective and body language to connect the two halves. The Pope sits slightly elevated but leans forward, his head turned toward Giles. The cardinals also direct their gaze in this direction. Their red garments form sweeping diagonals that lead the eye toward the Franciscans. At the same time, the Franciscans stand facing the Pope, their bodies angled slightly toward him in respectful attention. The scene thus becomes a visual conversation in which color and gesture carry as much weight as words.
The Blessed Giles is the figure at the far right, shown in full profile. His feet appear detached from the carpet, suggesting levitation. Murillo does not exaggerate the height or drama of this miracle. Giles is lifted just enough that his separation from the ground is unmistakable, yet the effect remains modest, consistent with his reputation for humble sanctity. Next to him, a fellow Franciscan stands with hands folded in front, acting as witness and companion.
A richly patterned carpet covers the floor in the papal area, while the Franciscans stand on a plain surface that fades into darkness. This contrast in flooring subtly distinguishes worldly honor from spiritual poverty. Yet both spaces are part of the same room, reinforcing the idea that the miracle is happening within the institutional framework of the Church.
Light, Color, and Symbolic Contrast
Murillo’s control of light and color is central to the painting’s meaning. The dominant colors are the deep, saturated reds of the papal robes and the cool, muted grays of the Franciscan habits. Red signifies authority, power, and the sacrificial role of the Church hierarchy. Gray represents humility, poverty, and detachment from worldly concerns.
Light falls most strongly on the central figures: the Pope and the Blessed Giles. The Pope’s white robe glows against the surrounding red and brown tones, emphasizing his sacred office. Giles’s face and upper body are also illuminated, while his companion stands more in shadow. This balanced illumination suggests that God’s grace shines on both institutional leadership and humble holiness. The rest of the room recedes into darkness, which further isolates and highlights the central encounter.
The background is largely unarticulated, a brownish void that recalls the tenebrist settings of earlier Baroque artists. This darkness removes distractions and underscores the seriousness of the moment. It also acts as a metaphor for the mystery surrounding the miracle: the viewer sees only the outward appearance, while the inner workings of grace remain hidden in shadow.
The red carpet beneath the Pope and cardinals introduces another symbolic element. Its intricate pattern and rich texture echo the complexity and traditions of the Church. In contrast, the ground under Giles is plain, emphasizing his simplicity. Yet when he levitates, he rises above even this humble earth, suspended between worldly structures and the invisible divine realm. Color and light thus tell a story about hierarchy, holiness, and the relationship between visible and invisible worlds.
Facial Expressions and Gestures
Murillo is a master of expressive faces and hands, and in this painting he uses them to narrate the scene without the need for overt action.
Pope Gregory IX is portrayed as an elderly man with a strong, thoughtful face. His expression combines curiosity and respect. One hand holds a paper or document, perhaps symbolizing papal decrees or doctrinal texts. The other hand is relaxed yet poised, as if listening more with his body than with his ears. He does not appear skeptical. Rather, he seems attentive to a spiritual reality that surpasses intellectual explanation.
The cardinal seated in the foreground reclines slightly, his body turning toward the Pope, his hand raised in a small, eloquent gesture. His expression suggests wonder, perhaps mixed with cautious assessment. The kneeling or seated figure behind the Pope also gestures with one hand, mirroring the Pope’s posture and reinforcing the theme of attentive listening.
Giles displays the serene detachment typical of Murillo’s saints. His face is lifted slightly upward, eyes directed toward an unseen point beyond the canvas. Lips gently parted, he appears immersed in silent communion with God rather than in conversation with those present. His hands hang loosely at his sides, palms turned slightly forward, a posture of surrender rather than self assertion. The fellow Franciscan beside him, by contrast, looks directly at the Pope, mouth closed, hands folded in modest respect. He seems fully aware of the social context and the importance of the moment, functioning as a kind of bridge between Giles’s interior ecstasy and the earthly observers.
Through these varied expressions and gestures, Murillo suggests multiple layers of response: mystical absorption, institutional discernment, and fraternal support. The viewer is invited to identify with any of these perspectives or to move among them in contemplation.
The Baroque Spirituality of Murillo
“The Blessed Giles Levitating before Pope Gregory IX” reveals many features of Murillo’s broader spiritual and artistic vision. Unlike some contemporaries who emphasized violent martyrdoms or extreme emotionalism, Murillo often depicted miracles in a calmer, more interior manner. Ecstasy in his works tends to appear as quiet elevation of the soul rather than dramatic physical contortion.
Here, the miracle of levitation is understated. Giles is not soaring dramatically into the air. He is lifted just enough to be unmistakably off the ground, as if God’s presence has gently loosened the bonds of gravity. This subtlety reflects Murillo’s sensitivity to the contemplative dimension of Franciscan spirituality. For him, holiness is not primarily about spectacular phenomena but about deep union with God that can manifest in outward signs.
The painting also expresses a key Counter Reformation ideal: harmony between personal mysticism and Church authority. The Pope’s receptive posture and the respectful inclusion of cardinals show that Rome honors and learns from the charisms of humble religious orders. The Franciscans stand before the Pope without fear or defiance, confident that their experience of God is recognized by the institutional Church.
Murillo’s technical choices support this message. The balanced composition, restrained palette, and dignified poses convey stability and order. Even in the presence of a miracle, the world does not dissolve into chaos. Rather, grace reinforces and deepens the structures of the Church.
Narrative Inscription and Didactic Purpose
Along the bottom of the painting, Murillo includes an inscription that describes the event and perhaps quotes or paraphrases historical sources about the Blessed Giles. While the text is not easily readable in reproductions, its presence underscores the didactic function of the work. The painting is meant not only to please the eye but also to instruct the viewer in the life of a specific saint and in the proper response to holiness.
In a Franciscan convent or church, this image would have reinforced community identity. It reminds friars that one of their earliest brothers stood confidently before a pope, not as a scholar or nobleman but as a man of prayer whose intimate relationship with God was validated by the highest authority in the Church. For lay viewers, the painting demonstrates that the Church values not only learning and office but also simple, contemplative love.
The inscription and the clear narrative content work together. Even viewers who could not read Latin would still grasp the core story through the visual cues: papal throne, humble friars, and the subtle levitation of Giles. Murillo thus fulfills the Baroque ideal of art that is both understandable and profound.
Emotional and Spiritual Impact for Modern Viewers
For contemporary audiences, “The Blessed Giles Levitating before Pope Gregory IX” offers several avenues of reflection. The painting raises questions about how institutional structures recognize and honor spiritual gifts that arise at the margins. Giles is not a high ranking cleric. He is a simple friar, yet his life challenges and enriches the hierarchy. Murillo’s respectful portrayal of both sides suggests that authentic spirituality and sound authority can mutually support one another.
The theme of levitation can also be read metaphorically. Giles’s separation from the ground symbolizes freedom from attachment to worldly concerns. In a world marked by anxiety about status and success, his weightless posture invites viewers to consider what it would mean to be “lifted” by an inner life of prayer and trust.
Additionally, the painting encourages a contemplative stance toward mystery. Murillo does not attempt to show what Giles sees or hears in his ecstasy. The viewer is left with the quiet gap between the friar’s uplifted face and the dark background. This openness invites personal imagination and meditation. Rather than explaining the miracle, the painting creates a space in which viewers can encounter the unknown presence of God.
Conclusion
“The Blessed Giles Levitating before Pope Gregory IX” is a masterful example of Murillo’s ability to combine narrative clarity, psychological depth, and spiritual subtlety. Through a carefully structured composition, striking contrasts of color, and nuanced facial expressions, he brings to life the legendary encounter between a humble Franciscan mystic and the head of the Church.
The painting has enduring power because it shows holiness as both interior and communal. Giles’s levitation reveals a soul absorbed in God, while the attentive posture of the Pope and cardinals affirms the Church’s role in recognizing and honoring that gift. Murillo avoids sensationalism, presenting the miracle with calm dignity that encourages contemplation rather than mere curiosity.
Within the broader history of Baroque art, this work stands out for its quiet intensity and its harmonious vision of mysticism and authority. For viewers today, it continues to offer a rich meditation on humility, freedom from worldly weight, and the possibility that even within formal structures there can be genuine openness to the surprising movements of grace.