There is, besides the explanation of the "punishments" of the sinners, another explanation for the picture-decorated "Fasting Cloths".. That of education: It is said that since most of the congregation attending these churches, large or small, were illiterate, could therefore not read the Bible, for them it was these pictures which would tell the stories of the Old and New Testament.
I find this explanation somewhat far fetched and unlikely to correspond with the truth. Since, even in the time of my youth, (which was not all that long ago) Christian Lay Persons were, if not outright forbidden, certainly discouraged from reading the Bible. Only priests would understand and could interpret the meaning of "The Good Book".
In fact, the Clergy was afraid that halfway intelligent people would wonder about the blatant contradictions and outright nonsense contained in this work.
But enough of that. Let me show you some "Fastentücher" in the small church of Theissenegg in Carinthia:
above:
Taken from the organ loft,
this image shows all three cloths used to hide the Altar (centre)
and the pictures on both sides.
The Centre Cloth depicts the famous "Sermon of the Mount of Olives"
With the desciples half asleep
and Jesus preaching, with an Engel in the right upper corner.
As is usual in the Catholic Church,
Brutality is in the forefront of their stories and pictures.
The Cross surely was one of the most hideous
instruments of torture and executions.
Whether you are an ardent Catholic, or not, the visit to the churches displaying the "Fastentücher" (Cloths of Fasting) is of considerable interest on many levels.
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