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See how the mosaic depicting Bishop Theodora was changed to make her appear male.
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Making Bishop Theodora Male
8th-century mosaic in St. Zeno’s chapel in Rome
Four women depicted.
A square halo meant she was still alive.
In Latin, EPISCOPA is the feminine form
of the masculine EPISCOPUS, or “Bishop.”
“THEODO” is masculine-gendered
in Latin . . .
. . . but it is not a man’s name in Latin.
Scholars believe originally this name was “THEDORA”—
a woman’s name.
Later, new gold tesserae were used to cover up the “RA.”
This made the female bishop’s name
masculine.
“EPISCOPATHEODORA”
Bishop Theodora
Art as Text
By Ally Kateusz
In honor of Karen Jo Torjesen
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