Kourion Complex Palace (Mosaics) Fales, c. 1955 (1 of 2)De C. Fales (probably)

45

The account of the ten virgins as given in the gospel of St. Matthew,also,falls into three such parts. They go out to meet the [handwritten: mixed] bridegroom-the procession from the church and the evening [handwritten: xxx] service-they fall asleep-the watch, and then comes the bridegroom when the'five wise virgins' light their lamps-the morning service. The door is closed on the 'five foolish virgins'. [handwritten: 365]

The door recalls our door between rooms (49) and (52). This door is emphasized by an inscription on either side of it, and in the inscription on the west side, it is implied that Christ [handwritten: x] keeps open the way to heaven for those who are wise enough to be baptized. [handwritten: 306] That this door as an entrance to room (52) was [handwritten: x] probably part of the ceremony connected with the rising sun, we have shown above p.[handwritten: 24-9 and p.36]. [handwritten: 307] Thus the door and its inscriptions would fit [handwritten: s] the story of the'ten virgins' as to context, time, and place. Context, because the story of the [handwritten: xxx] ten virgins is a parable of our [handwritten: xxxxx] entrance to heaven; time, because both the service of the Epiphany and the [handwritten: xx] tale of the virgins are in three similar parts; in place, because as the inscription in which the'wise virgins' are mentioned is located before room (74), it is probable that they passed the watch in this room and as much of that part of the [handwritten: xxxxx] evening service as was [handwritten: xxx xxx] celebrated in room (49), [handwritten: and moved out for the morning service from room (74) into room (52) {hw: through] the middle door in the east wall of room (49), the door shut on the five foolish virgins.}