A story for every day...
The artist is found innocent.
In the church of Saint Mary in Danzig, a statue of the Blessed Virgin is venerated, to which a touching story is attached. It is said that a poor artist, unjustly accused and condemned to death, asked his judges for a few weeks to fulfill a vow he had made. This grace having been granted to him, he knelt down in his dungeon, addressed a fervent prayer to the Virgin, Consoler of the afflicted, and then began to model with clay the image of Her whom he invoked with such sincere faith in his anguish; and his faith revived him, and his piety gave him a happy inspiration. He made a statue of such noble form, he drew the head of his august Patroness with such suavity that the magistrates, invited to come and see it, were amazed. “No,” cried one of them, “it is not possible that the man in whom such ideal sentiment is manifested could have committed the crime of which he is accused. The execution must be stayed and the trial revised.” A new investigation showed that he was indeed innocent. He triumphantly left his prison, and deposited in the church of Saint Mary the statue to which he owed his salvation.
