Benedictine Saints Boniface, Gregory the Great, Aldelbert of Egmond and Jerome
This altarpiece was made for the Benedictine Abbey in Egmond, where Saint Adelbert was buried.
Four medieval saints pose in the habits of religious monks. The habits are those of the Benedictine Order. Boniface (c. 675-754) (left), with bishopâs mitre, crosier and book of the gospels, was murdered while undertaking missionary work in Dokkum. Next to him stands Pope Gregory the Great (c. 540-604), who wrote the life of Saint Benedict, the founder of the Order. Turning towards him is the preacher Adelbert (?-741), who assisted Willibrord in missionary work in North Holland. Jerome of Noordwijk, lastly, was a missionary in West Friesland a century later, and was murdered by the Normans (hence the sword).
