Comparison of the Stations of the Cross in Sauniere's Mary Magdalene church to those Stations of the Cross in other Churches said by some to be the same.
List of Churches used in this comparison are:
The Mary Magdalene church at Rennes-le-Chateau.
Rocamadour.
Couiza.
Station of the Cross 2 Comparison
Jesus takes up His Cross.
Rennes-le-Chateau Station 2 Couiza Station 2
For some reason, Sauniere has altered the position of Jesus's left arm, the angle of his head and his clothes. Jesus now points at a small rock on the ground between the Centurion's feet. Feet, rock, foot of a rock or a mountain perhaps? The building in the background has also been removed from Saunière's. No right hand of Jesus on the cross. Apart from these main differences they are very similar.
Rocamadour Station 2 Rennes-le-Chateau Station 2
The main differences between this Station is that in Sauniere's Station 2 we have two extra men, one of them holding a shield up high. other differences include: The position of the left arm of Jesus. The cross is smaller. A helmet beneath the kneeling figure. Jesus's right hand no longer holds onto the cross. A rock has been added between the feet of the Centurion.
Station of the Cross 3 Comparison
Jesus falls for the first time.
Rennes-le-Chateau Station 3 Couiza (Station 7)
Interestingly Station 3 at Rennes-le-Chateau does not match station 3 in Couiza church but station 7, shown above. So I will use station 7 for comparison here as it is the one we need to compare. Sauniere's choice of framing has cut off a small amount of detail. We are left with the following differences in Sauniere's Station 3: The robes Jesus is wearing have changed. The soldier in the foreground is now wearing a helmet and is looking in a different direction, his arm position has changed from Jesus's right shoulder to his left, his footwear has been removed as has his breastplate. The two men in the background on the right have also undergone a change of clothing. No hand holding the highest part of the cross here. Though the three men on the right appear in both these stations, all have undergone changes. The standard in the background has been removed and so has the arm holding a sword. A man now blows a long curved horn or trumpet.
Couiza (Station 3) Rocamadour Station 3
Station 3 appearing in Couiza Church. (Left) This will be discussed in the Station 7 comparison.
Rocamadour Station 3 (right) at first glance bears a resemblance to Sauniere's but the differences are obvious, a few of which I will mention here. In Sauniere's Station 3 there is no horse, 8 men instead of 5, no hand on the top of the cross beam, different clothing. It looks as if Couiza church has positioned and labeled it's station 3 incorrectly, getting the second fall of Jesus mixed up with His first fall. Notice the similarity of the raised arm of the man extreme left with the similar positioned man in the Rennes-le-Chateau Station 2.
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