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127-456: The central panel was completed after 1422, likely between 1425 and 1428, it is thought by a member of Campin's workshop. An earlier version, now in Brussels, may be Campin's original panel. The outer wing panels are later additions by a workshop member, probably on request by the donor who sought to elevate the central panel to a triptych and place himself in the pictorial space. They contain views of

254-478: A martyr for his faith. To enshrine St. Lambert's relics , his successor, Hubertus (later to become St. Hubert), built a basilica near the bishop's residence which became the true nucleus of the city. A few centuries later, the city became the capital of a prince-bishopric , which lasted from 985 till 1794. The first prince-bishop , Notger , transformed the city into a major intellectual and ecclesiastical centre, which maintained its cultural importance during

381-400: A bus stop. There were six fatalities, including the attacker (who shot himself), and 123 people were injured. On 29 May 2018, two female police officers and one civilian—a 22-year-old man—were shot dead by a gunman near a café on Boulevard d'Avroy in central Liège. The attacker then began firing at the officers in an attempt to escape, injuring a number of them "around their legs", before he

508-449: A cord around his waist. Joseph's joinery instruments are displayed in a consistently unnatural manner, suggesting that they have been planned to fit a specific agenda; for example the joinery instruments on the table are so placed as to represent the three crosses of Christ and the two thieves. Its early history is obscure. The triptych was owned by the aristocratic Belgian Arenberg and Mérode families from 1820 to 1849 before reaching

635-731: A democratic spirit in Liège that survived the Middle Ages. At the end of the Liège Wars , a rebellion took place against rule from Burgundy . In 1468 Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy, witnessed by King Louis XI of France , captured and largely destroyed the city after a bitter siege which was ended with a successful surprise attack. The rebellion figures prominently in the plot of Sir Walter Scott 's 1823 novel Quentin Durward . The Prince-Bishopric of Liège

762-520: A frequent target of armies and insurgencies over the centuries. It was fortified early on with a castle on the steep hill that overlooks the city's western side. During this medieval period, three women from the Liège region made significant contributions to Christian spirituality: Elizabeth Spaakbeek, Christina the Astonishing , and Marie of Oignies . In 1345, the citizens of Liège rebelled against Prince-Bishop Engelbert III de la Marck , their ruler at

889-546: A hard-headed but resourceful Walloon boy who lived during Charlemagne 's times. Tchantchès is remembered with a statue, a museum, and a number of puppets found all over the city. Liège hosts one of the oldest and biggest Christmas Markets in Belgium, and the oldest kermesse , the Foire de Liège held each year from 28 October. The city is well known for its very crowded folk festivals. The 15 August festival ("Le 15 août") may be

1016-456: A metaphor used three times by Saint Augustine : "The cross of the Lord was the devil's mousetrap; the bait by which he was caught was the Lord's death." The iconography of the right-hand panel has been studied in detail by Russell. He shows that the object that Joseph is working on is a scandalum or stumbling block, a spiked block that gashes the legs of a punishment victim who walks with it hanging from

1143-614: A potential connection. This exposure to Zoroastrian angelology during the exile period may have played a part in shaping Gabriel's prominent role as a divine messenger in Judaism. In the Hebrew Bible, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to explain his visions ( Daniel 8 :15–26, 9 :21–27). Later, in Daniel's final vision , an angel, not named but likely Gabriel again, appears to him and speaks of receiving help from prince Michael in battle against

1270-422: A rampage and severely damaged the central railway station Guillemins. The unrest was so intense that "army troops had to wade through caltrops , trees, concrete blocks, car and crane wrecks to advance. Streets were dug up. Liège saw the worst fighting on 6 January 1961. In all, 75 people were injured during seven hours of street battles." On 6 December 1985, the city's courthouse was heavily damaged and one person

1397-599: A recently extinguished candle, and shows coiling smoke and a still glowing wick . This may be a reference to the Holy Spirit, who, according to some late medieval writers, descended to the apostles "like a puff of wind". The white lily in a Tuscan earthenware jug on the table represents Mary's virginity and purity, as does the white, ocher towel. The jug contains a series of enigmatic letters in Latin and Hebraic, deciphered by some art historians as De Campyn , which they presume as

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1524-580: A series of blasts ( Revelation 8 – 11 ); or simply "a trumpet will sound" ( I Corinthians 15:52). Likewise the early Christian Church Fathers do not mention Gabriel as a trumpeter; and in Jewish and Muslim traditions, Gabriel is again not identified as a trumpeter. The earliest known identification of Gabriel as a trumpeter comes from the Hymn of the Armenian Saint Nerses Shnorhali, "for Protection in

1651-514: A son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. Gabriel only appears by name in those two passages in Luke. In the first passage the angel identified himself as Gabriel, but in the second it is Luke who identified him as Gabriel. The only other named angels in

1778-534: A source published in 1856 has the feast celebrated on 7 April for unknown reasons (a parenthetical note states that the day is normally celebrated on 18 March). Writer Elizabeth Drayson mentions the feast being celebrated on 18 March 1588 in her 2013 book "The Lead Books of Granada". One of the oldest out-of-print sources placing the feast on 18 March, first published in 1608, is Flos sanctorum: historia general de la vida y hechos de Jesu-Christo ... y de los santos de que reza y haze fiesta la Iglesia Catholica ... by

1905-505: A trumpet blast to announce the resurrection of the dead at the end of time. However, though the Bible mentions a trumpet blast preceding the resurrection of the dead, it never specifies Gabriel as the trumpeter. Different passages state different things: the angels of the Son of Man ( Matthew 24 :31); the voice of the Son of God ( John 5 :25–29); God's trumpet ( I Thessalonians 4:16); seven angels sounding

2032-499: Is "unfortunate that a line of one of the mortar courses in the garden wall disappear into the donor's mouth". Campbell describes the wing panels as pedestrian, and the product of lesser hands. He gives prominence to the Brussels panel, which he cautiously attributes to the Master of Flémalle. The triptych is relatively small, indicating that it was commissioned for private, domestic use; the central panel measures 64 × 63 cm and each wing

2159-588: Is 65 × 27 cm. The panels share a very steep perspective, in which the viewer seems to be looking down on the figures from an elevated point of view. In other respects the perspective is underdeveloped; neither the Virgin nor Gabriel seem to rest on solid ground, while the female donor appears to hover and appears to be barely able to fit within the space she is positioned in. The panels are in good condition, with little over-paint, glossing, dirt layers, or paint losses. They are almost entirely in oil, and establish many of

2286-560: Is a city and municipality of Wallonia , and the capital of the province of Liège , Belgium. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse , in the east of Belgium, not far from borders with the Netherlands ( Maastricht is about 33 km (20.5 mi) to the north) and with Germany ( Aachen is about 53 km (32.9 mi) north-east). In Liège, the Meuse meets the river Ourthe . The city

2413-401: Is a large Italian community, and Italian can be heard in many places. The city has a number of football teams, most notably Standard Liège , who have won several championships and which was previously owned by Roland Duchâtelet , and R.F.C. de Liège , one of the oldest football clubs in Belgium. It is also known for being the club who refused to release Jean-Marc Bosman , a case which led to

2540-678: Is an archangel with the power to communicate God's will to humanity. He is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible , the New Testament , the Quran and the Kitáb-i-Aqdas . Many Christian traditions – including Eastern Orthodoxy , Catholicism , Lutheranism , and Anglicanism  – revere Gabriel as a saint . In the Hebrew Bible, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to explain his visions ( Daniel 8 :15–26, 9 :21–27). The archangel also appears in

2667-534: Is compiled by al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi , Gabriel has the ability to regulate feeling or perception in humans, particularly happiness or sadness. Gabriel is believed to have helped Muhammad overcome his adversaries significantly against an ifrit during the Night Journey . Gabriel is also believed to have helped Muhammad overcome his adversaries during the Battle of Badr , where according to scholars and clerics of Islam,

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2794-454: Is composed of the first person singular possessive form of the Hebrew noun gever (גֶּבֶר), meaning "man", and ʾĒl , meaning "God". This would make the translation of the archangel's name "man of God". Proclus of Constantinople , in his famous Homily 1, stated that the meaning of Gabriel's name prefigured that Jesus, whose birth was announced by Gabriel, would be both man and God. After

2921-503: Is going down and now is a mere shadow of its former self, the manufacture of steel goods remain important. The economy of the region is now diversified; the most important centres are: Mechanical industries ( Aircraft engine and Spacecraft propulsion ), space technology, information technology , biotechnology and the production of water , beer or chocolate . Liège has an important group of headquarters dedicated to high-technology, such as Techspace Aero , which manufactures pieces for

3048-453: Is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to

3175-416: Is likely a copy of an earlier composition by Campin, while the wings were probably a later commission from the donor to attach to the main panel to form a small private devotional altarpiece. Areas of the panels have been reworked; both the female donor and bearded man on the left wing were painted over landscape, while the window behind the Virgin was originally painted in gold. Campbell is not convinced by

3302-500: Is not to be prayed to because only God can answer prayers and sends Gabriel as his agent. According to Jewish mythology , in the Garden of Eden there is a tree of life or the "tree of souls" that blossoms and produces new souls, which fall into the Guf , the treasury of souls. Gabriel reaches into the treasury and takes out the first soul that comes into his hand. In Islam, the tree of souls

3429-762: Is of Germanic origin and is reconstructible as * liudik- , from the Germanic word * liudiz "people", which is found in for example Dutch lui(den) , lieden , Polish "ludzie", Czech "lidé", German Leute , Old English lēod (English lede ), Icelandic lýður ("people"), Latvian ļaudis ("people"), Lithuanian liaudis ("people"). It is found in Ukrainian as liudy ("people"), in Russian as russian: люди, romanised: liudi ("people"), in Latin as Leodicum or Leodium , in Middle Dutch as ludic or ludeke . Until 17 September 1946,

3556-472: Is one of the earliest representations of the Annunciation to Mary in a contemporary Northern European interior, which appears to be a dining room. This is Campin's main innovation, showing a reading Madonna, with unbound hair in a familiar setting, an image that lead to many adoptions, most famously Rogier van der Weyden 's Reading Magdalen . The colors in the upper part of the central panel are dominated by

3683-454: Is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim". ( 1 Enoch 20:7 ) When Enoch asked who the four figures were that he had seen: And he said to me: 'This first is Michael, the merciful and long-suffering: and the second, who is set over all the diseases and all the wounds of the children of men, is Raphael: and the third, who is set over all the powers, is Gabriel: and the fourth, who is set over

3810-582: Is owned by the Walloon government along with some private investors. The Port of Liège , located on the river Meuse , is the 3rd largest river port in Europe. Liège also has direct links to Antwerp through the Albert Canal and to Rotterdam via the river Meuse. It stretches over a distance of 26 kilometres and comprises 32 port areas and covers 3.7 square kilometres. Liège is served by many direct rail links with

3937-419: Is part of the sillon industriel , the former industrial backbone of Wallonia. It still is the principal economic and cultural centre of the region. The municipality consists of the following sub-municipalities : Angleur , Bressoux , Chênée , Glain , Grivegnée , Jupille-sur-Meuse , Liège proper, Rocourt , and Wandre . In November 2012, Liège had 198,280 inhabitants. The metropolitan area , including

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4064-564: Is referred to as the Sidrat al-Muntaha (and is identified as a Ziziphus spina-christi ). Gabriel's first appearance in the New Testament concerns the annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist . John's father Zachariah , a priest of the course of Abia, ( Luke 1:5–7 ) was childless because his wife Elisabeth was barren. An angel appears to Zacharias while he is ministering in the Temple to announce

4191-476: Is seen by art historians as a reassuring presence, warding the devil from the center panel. Joseph is presented as a relatively old man wearing an eggplant coloured coat and blue turban, in a panel dressed by dark and warm colours, framed by shadows thrown from the window shutters. He works on a mouse trap, probably a symbol of the cross at the Crucifixion , in that it represents an imagined but literal capture of

4318-540: Is the Place du Marché. The "Batte" market is where most locals visit on Sundays. The outdoor market goes along the river Meuse and also attracts many visitors to Liège. The market typically runs from early morning to 2 o'clock in the afternoon every Sunday year long. Produce, clothing, and snack vendors are the main concentration of the market. Liège is home to the Opéra Royal de Wallonie (English: Royal Opera of Wallonia ) and

4445-462: The Airbus A380 or the rocket Ariane 5 . Other stand-out sectors include Amós which manufactures optical components for telescopes and Drytec , which produces compressed air dryers. Liège also has many other electronic companies such as SAP , EVS , Gillam , AnB , Balteau , IP Trade . Other prominent businesses are the global leader in light armament FN Herstal , the beer company Jupiler ,

4572-658: The Battle of Uhud , that later being confirmed by Muhammad those two unidentified warriors were Jibril and Mikail in disguise. Moreover, he is believed to have further encouraged Muhammad to wage war and attack the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza . Another appearance of Gabriel in Islamic religious texts were found in numerous Hadiths during the Battle of Hunayn , where the Gabriel stood next to Muhammad. Other Islamic texts and some Apocryphal literature also supported Gabriel's role as

4699-566: The Book of Enoch and other ancient Jewish writings not preserved in Hebrew. Alongside the archangel Michael , Gabriel is described as the guardian angel of the people of Israel , defending it against the angels of the other peoples. In the New Testament, the Gospel of Luke relates the Annunciation , in which the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah foretelling the birth of John the Baptist with

4826-501: The Book of Isaiah : "Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth there- with? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself as if was it were no wood." Isaiah's words were intended as incentatory and revolutionary, were followed by a treatise for the salvation of Israel , and protested against an Assyrian king he considered boorish and vainglorious. Given this, Joseph

4953-478: The Bosman ruling . In spring, Liège hosts the start and finish of the annual Liège–Bastogne–Liège cycling race , one of the spring classics and the oldest of the five monuments of cycling . The race starts in the centre of Liège, before heading south to Bastogne and returning north to finish in the industrial suburb of Ans . Traveling through the hilly Ardennes , it is one of the longest and most arduous races of

5080-464: The General strike against Leopold III of Belgium and "seized control over the city of Liège". The strike ultimately led to Leopold's abdication. Liège began to suffer from a relative decline of its industry, particularly the coal industry, and later the steel industry, producing high levels of unemployment and stoking social tension. During the 1960–1961 Winter General Strike , disgruntled workers went on

5207-448: The Jews' exile to Babylon in the 6th century BCE, Jewish beliefs underwent a significant transformation. Exposure to Zoroastrianism , with its intricate angelology and the concept of a cosmic struggle between good and evil, likely influenced this evolution. The striking similarities between "holy immortal" ( Amesha Spentas ) Vohu Manah (or "good mind") and Gabriel's role as a messenger suggest

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5334-602: The Middle Ages . Pope Clement VI recruited several musicians from Liège to perform in the Papal court at Avignon , thereby sanctioning the practice of polyphony in the religious realm. The city was renowned for its many churches, the oldest of which, St Martin's, dates from 682. Although nominally part of the Holy Roman Empire , in practice it possessed a large degree of independence. The strategic position of Liège has made it

5461-623: The Russian Far East and the fellow Francophone province of Quebec . Summers are also moderated by the maritime air, with average temperatures being similar to areas as far north as in Scandinavia . Being inland though, Liège has a relatively low winter seasonal lag . On 1 January 2013, the municipality of Liège had a total population of 197,013. The metropolitan area has about 750,000 inhabitants. Its inhabitants are predominantly French -speaking, with German and Dutch-speaking minorities. Akin to

5588-662: The Spanish writer Alonso de Villegas ; a newer edition of this book was published in 1794. Another source published in Ireland in 1886 the Irish Ecclesiastical Record also mentions 18 March. The feast of Saint Gabriel was included by Pope Benedict XV in the General Roman Calendar in 1921, for celebration on 24 March. In 1969, the day was officially transferred to 29 September for celebration in conjunction with

5715-617: The Thirty Years' War , the city was besieged by Imperial forces under Johann von Werth from April to July. The army, mainly consisting of mercenaries, extensively and viciously plundered the surrounding bishopric during the siege. The Duke of Marlborough captured the city from the Bavarian prince-bishop and his French allies in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession . In the middle of

5842-644: The United Kingdom of the Netherlands . Dutch rule lasted only until 1830, when the Belgian Revolution led to the establishment of an independent, Catholic and neutral Belgium which incorporated Liège. After this, Liège developed rapidly into a major industrial city which became one of continental Europe's first large-scale steel making centres. The Walloon Jacquerie of 1886 saw a large-scale working class revolt. No less than 6,000 regular troops were called into

5969-499: The Virgin Mary . It is one of the biggest folkloric displays in the city, with a religious procession, a flea market, dances, concerts, and a series of popular games. Nowadays these celebrations start a few days earlier and last until the 16th. Some citizens open their doors to party goers, and serve "peket", the traditional local alcohol. This tradition is linked to the important folkloric character Tchantchès ( Walloon for François ),

6096-545: The "man in linen" mentioned in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Ezekiel . Talmudic Judaism understands the angel in the Book of Ezekiel, who was sent to destroy Jerusalem , to be Gabriel. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia , Gabriel takes the form of a man, and stands at the left hand of God. Shimon ben Lakish ( Syria Palaestina , 3rd century) concluded that the angelic names of Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel came out of

6223-521: The Annunciation panel in Brussels , slightly earlier but damaged, which may represent the original version by Campin. Technical examination of the wood panels suggest that the triptych was completed by a number of hands. The wood of the central panel is different and earlier to that of the wings, while the hinging further suggest that the central panel was not intended as part of a triptych. The central panel

6350-523: The Annunciation, the dove of the Holy Spirit is not visible. Instead he is represented by the extinguished light of the candle, and the beam of light falling from the window to the left, which carries the Christ Child holding a cross. The Christ Child flies down towards Mary from the left oculus, signifying her impregnation by God the Father . He gazes directly at her and holds a cross. The folding-table contains

6477-547: The Babylonian exile (Gen. Rab. 48:9). Alongside the archangel Michael, Gabriel is described as the guardian angel of Israel, defending this people against the angels of the other nations. In Kabbalah , Gabriel is identified with the sefira of Yesod . Gabriel also has a prominent role as one of God's archangels in the Kabbalah literature. There, Gabriel is portrayed as working in concert with Michael as part of God's court. Gabriel

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6604-499: The Bavarian royal house of Wittelsbach , with second sons of the Bavarian monarch ruling as prince-bishop. Beginning with the ascension of Ernest of Bavaria in 1581, Bavarian princes ruled over Cologne , Münster , and other bishoprics in the northwest of the Holy Roman Empire in addition to Liège. Ferdinand of Bavaria (bishop) ruled from 1612 to 1650, and Maximilian Henry of Bavaria ruled from 1650 to 1688. In 1636, during

6731-518: The Devil, said to have held a man in ransom because of the sin of Adam . In some scripts, Christ's naked flesh was served as bait for the devil; "He rejoiced in Christ's death, like a bailiff of death. What he rejoiced in was then his own undoing. The cross of the Lord was the devil's mousetrap; the bait by which he was caught was the Lord's death." The background contains a cityscape, probably fictitious, showing

6858-778: The Ethiopian calendar), with a sizeable number of its believers making a pilgrimage to a church dedicated to "Saint Gabriel" in Kulubi and Wonkshet on that day. In the Lutheran Churches , Gabriel is celebrated on the Feast of the Archangels on 29 September. Additionally, Gabriel is the patron saint of messengers, those who work for broadcasting and telecommunications such as radio and television, postal workers, clerics, diplomats, and stamp collectors. A familiar image of Gabriel has him blowing

6985-556: The Germans until the end of the war. Liège received the Légion d'Honneur for its resistance in 1914. As part of Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg 's Septemberprogramm , Berlin planned to annexe Liege under the name Lüttich to the German Empire in any post-war peace agreement. The Germans returned in 1940 , this time taking the forts in only three days. Most Jews were saved, with

7112-647: The Great Invisible Spirit , Gabriel is a divine being and inhabitant of the Pleroma who existed prior to the Demiurge . In a famous early work, the "four homilies on the Missus Est , Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153 AD) interpreted Gabriel's name as "the strength of God", and his symbolic function in the gospel story as announcement of the strength or virtue of Christ, both as the strength of God incarnate and as

7239-425: The Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in

7366-520: The Meuse valley and the Ardennes en route to France. The German invasion of Belgium on 5 August 1914 soon reached Liège, which was defended by 30,000 troops under General Gérard Leman in the Battle of Liège . The forts initially held off General Alexander von Kluck 's German First Army of about 100,000 men but were pulverised into submission by a five-day bombardment by heavy artillery, including thirty-two 21 cm mortars and two German 42 cm Big Bertha howitzers . Due to faulty planning of

7493-441: The Mother of God and petitions her for a family". The attendant dressed in a festive outfit is by a later artist, perhaps it was added after the donor's marriage. The left hand space contains an unlocked entrance leading to a minutely detailed street scene. The panel is the more striking as the door leading into the Virgin's chamber is wide open, hugely presumptuous for even a mid-fifteenth century commission, and suggesting access to

7620-476: The Netherlands, making Liège the first city that has hosted stages of all three cycling Grand Tours. Liège is also home to boxer Ermano Fegatilli , the current European Boxing Union Super Featherweight champion. Liège is the most important city of the Walloon region from an economic perspective. In the past, Liège was one of the most important industrial centres in Europe, particularly in steel -making. Starting in 1817, John Cockerill extensively developed

7747-579: The New Testament are Michael the Archangel (in Jude 1:9 ) and Abaddon (in Revelation 9:11 ). Believers are expressly warned not to worship angels in two New Testament passages: Colossians 2:18–19 and Revelation 19:10 . Gabriel is not called an archangel in the canonical Bible . However, the intertestamental period (roughly 200 BC – 50 AD) produced a wealth of literature , much of it having an apocalyptic orientation. The names and ranks of angels and devils were greatly expanded in this literature, and each had particular duties and status before God. This

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7874-427: The Night": The sound of Gabriel's trumpet on the last night, make us worthy to hear, and to stand on your right hand among the sheep with lanterns of inextinguishable light; to be like the five wise virgins, so that with the bridegroom in the bride chamber we, his spiritual brides may enter into glory. In 1455, in Armenian art , there is an illustration in an Armenian manuscript showing Gabriel sounding his trumpet as

8001-453: The Old and the New Testaments , and the roles Mary and the Christ child played in the fulfillment of prophecy. The lilies in the earthenware vase on the table represent Mary's virginity. Other symbols of her purity include the enclosed garden ( Hortus conclusus ), and the white towel, while the small windows to the right, and the half-closed windows at the rear, serve to emphasise the quiet, virginal life she has lived. The lion finials on

8128-472: The Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège (OPRL) (English: Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ). The city annually hosts a significant electro-rock festival Les Ardentes and jazz festival Jazz à Liège . Liège has active alternative cinemas, Le Churchill, Le Parc and Le Sauvenière. There are also two mainstream cinemas, the Kinepolis multiplexes. Liège also has a particular Walloon dialect, sometimes said to be one of Belgium's most distinctive. There

8255-419: The University; for a few days before the event, students (wearing very dirty lab-coats) beg for money, mostly for drinking. Liège is renowned for its nightlife. Within the pedestrian zone behind the Opera House, there is a square city block known locally as Le Carré (the Square) with many lively pubs which are reputed to remain open until the last customer leaves (typically around 6 am). Another active area

8382-405: The Virgin's Hortus conclusus . The door presents a continuity oddity; although it can be seen opening into the Virgins room from the left panel, no such door entrance is visible in the center panel. Addressing this, the art historians Rose-Marie and Rainer Hagen suppose that the donor is "imagining that she has entered into his house. From without, he has opened the door; with his own eyes he beholds

8509-426: The angel Gabriel foretelling the Virgin Mary the birth of Jesus Christ , respectively ( Luke 1:11–38 ). Islam regards Gabriel as an archangel sent by God to various prophets, including Muhammad . The first five verses of the Al-Alaq , the 96th chapter of the Quran, are believed by Muslims to have been the first verses revealed by Gabriel to Muhammad . The name Gabriel ( Hebrew: גַּבְרִיאֵל, Gaḇrīʾēl )

8636-447: The archangel Gabriel in his full angelic splendor only twice, the first time being when he received his first revelation. As the Hebrew Bible portrays Gabriel as a celestial messenger sent to Daniel , and in the New Testament to Mary, mother of Jesus , and Zechariah , Islamic tradition holds that Gabriel was sent to numerous pre-Islamic Biblical prophets with revelation and divine injunctions, including Adam , whom Muslims believe

8763-658: The art market, and has been in the collection of the Cloisters , New York since 1956. Until its acquisition it had been in private collection for many years and thus inaccessible to both scholars and the public. Its purchase was funded by John D. Rockefeller Jr. and was described at the time as a "major event for the history of collecting in the United States". Li%C3%A8ge Liège ( / l i ˈ ɛ ʒ , l i ˈ eɪ ʒ / lee- EZH , lee- AYZH ; French: [ljɛʒ] ; Walloon : Lîdje [liːtʃ] ; Dutch : Luik [lœyk] ; German : Lüttich [ˈlʏtɪç] )

8890-455: The artist's signature. An open manuscript is placed on the green velvet book pouch. Unusually, the book is positioned next to the Virgin rather than the shelf. The pages seem worn and handled, indicating that it has been well read. It has been suggested that the book reflects the Carthusian Ludolf of Saxony 's idea of the secluded life of the Virgin - that she earlier lived with "the Holy Scriptures as her sole companion". The right hand half of

9017-420: The association with Flémalle group, and thus Robert Campin. He describes the Mérode as "incoherent in design", lacking Campin's usual trait of spatial continuity, as found in the Seilern Triptych . The open sky as seen through the central panel windows is incongruous in point of view with the street scene in the donor panel. Campbell highlights poor command of perspective in the donor panel, and observes that it

9144-411: The back wall holds three windows, one of which contains a lattice screen. The beams of the ceiling are supported by a series of corbels . The sky visible through the windows is a later addition, which was painted over an earlier gold ground . The armorial shields are also later additions. The donor and his wife are shown kneeling in prayer are in the left panel, looking through a half-open door into

9271-458: The bastards and the reprobates, and against the children of fornication: and destroy [the children of fornication and] the children of the Watchers from amongst men [and cause them to go forth]: send them one against the other that they may destroy each other in battle: for length of days shall they not have." Gabriel is the fifth of the five angels who keep watch: "Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who

9398-503: The bench may have a symbolic role (referring to the Seat of Wisdom , or throne of Solomon ) – this feature is often seen in other paintings, religious or secular (like Jan van Eyck 's Arnolfini Portrait ). The arrangements for washing at the back of the room, which are considered unusual for a domestic interior, may relate to the similar arrangements of a piscina for the officiating priest to wash his hands during Mass . The sixteen sides of

9525-401: The best known. The population gathers in a quarter named Outre-Meuse with plenty of tiny pedestrian streets and old yards. Many people come to see the procession but also to drink alcohol (mostly peket ) and beer, eat cooked pears, boûkètes or sausages or simply enjoy the atmosphere until the early hours. The Saint Nicholas festival around 6 December is organized by and for the students of

9652-404: The birth of Jesus: 26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she

9779-432: The birth of his son. When Zachariah questions the angel, the angel gives his name as Gabriel: 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer

9906-556: The bright minister that watch'd, he blew His trumpet, heard in Oreb since perhaps When God descended, and perhaps once more To sound at general doom. (XI.72ff). It is unclear how the Armenian conception inspired Milton and the spirituals, though they presumably have a common source. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints theology, Gabriel is believed to have lived a mortal life as

10033-471: The chocolate company Galler , and the water and soda companies Spa and Chaudfontaine . A science park south east of the city, near the University of Liège campus, houses spin-offs and high technology businesses. In 1812 there were three coal pits ( Bure ) in close proximity just outside the city gates: Bure Triquenotte, Bure de Beaujone and Bure Mamonster. The first two shafts were joined underground, but

10160-492: The city of Liège , in today's Belgium. The triptych is a founding and important work in the then emerging late Gothic, Early Netherlandish style, and has been described as a "milestone between two periods; it at once summarizes the medieval tradition and lays the foundation for the development of modern painting". The attribution of the New York triptych has been the subject of wide scholarly debate. It seems to have been completed

10287-468: The city to quell the unrest, while strike spread through the whole sillon industriel . Liège's fortifications were redesigned by Henri Alexis Brialmont in the 1880s and a chain of twelve forts was constructed around the city to provide defence in depth . This presented a major obstacle to the Imperial German Army in 1914, whose Schlieffen Plan relied on being able to quickly pass through

10414-564: The city's name was written Liége , with the acute accent instead of a grave accent . In French, Liège is associated with the epithet la cité ardente ("the fervent city"). This term, which emerged around 1905, originally referred to the city's history of rebellions against Burgundian rule, but was appropriated to refer to its economic dynamism during the Industrial Revolution . Although settlements already existed in Roman times,

10541-406: The cool grays of the plaster and the brown of the timber wall, while the lower half is mostly of warmer and deeper brownish greens and reds. Art historians suggest that the success of the panel is due to the contrast between the warm reds of the Virgin's robe and the pale blue hues of the archangel Gabriel 's vestment. The panels' perspective is unusually steep and unevenly distributed. The angle of

10668-690: The course of the 1794 campaigns of the French Revolution , the French Revolutionary Army took the city and imposed strongly anticlerical regime, destroying St. Lambert's Cathedral . The overthrow of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège was confirmed in 1801 by the Concordat co-signed by Napoléon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII . France lost the city in 1815 when the Congress of Vienna awarded it to

10795-631: The dead climb out of their graves. The image of Gabriel's trumpet blast to announce the end of time was taken up in Evangelical Christianity , where it became widespread, notably in Negro spirituals . An earlier example occurs in John Milton 's Paradise Lost (1667): Betwixt these rockie pillars Gabriel sat Chief of the Angelic guards (IV.545f) ... He ended, and the Son gave signal high To

10922-480: The demon prince of Persia (Daniel 10:13, 21) and also Michael's role in times to come (Daniel 12:1). These are the first instances of a named angel in the Bible. Gabriel's main function in Daniel is that of revealer, responsible for interpreting Daniel's visions, a role he continues to have in later traditions. Gabriel, ( Hebrew : גַּבְרִיאֵל , romanized :  Gaḇrīʾēl ) is interpreted by Talmudic rabbis to be

11049-657: The eighteenth century the ideas of the French Encyclopédistes began to gain popularity in the region. Bishop François-Charles de Velbrück (1772–84), encouraged their propagation, thus prepared the way for the Liège Revolution which started in the episcopal city on 18 August 1789 and led to the creation of the Republic of Liège before it was invaded by counter-revolutionary forces of the Habsburg monarchy in 1791. In

11176-642: The feast of the archangels Ss. Michael and Raphael. The Church of England has also adopted the 29 September date, known as Michaelmas . The Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches that follow the Byzantine Rite celebrate his feast day ( Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers ) on 8 November (for those churches that follow the traditional Julian Calendar , 8 November currently falls on 21 November of

11303-481: The first references to Liège are from 558, when it was known as Vicus Leudicus. Around 705, Saint Lambert of Maastricht is credited with completing the Christianization of the region, indicating that up to the early 8th century the religious practices of antiquity had survived in some form. Christian conversion may still not have been quite universal, since Lambert was murdered in Liège and thereafter regarded as

11430-519: The furniture and fittings. Similar debates exist for many Early Netherlandish paintings, and a number of the details seen for the first time here reappear in later Annunciations by other artists. The symbolic elements in the central panel mostly relate to the Annunciation, the Mass and the sacrament of the Eucharist . Mary sits on the floor to show her humility. The scroll and book in front of Mary symbolize

11557-494: The gates of heaven. The donors are identifiable as bourgeoisie from nearby Mechelen , and are documented in Tournai in 1427, identifiable from the coat of arms in the stained glass window of the central panel. It is assumed that this panel was a later commission to Campin's workshop, not part of the original single panel design. There has been speculation that it was completed by the young Rogier van der Weyden . The altarpiece

11684-625: The help of the sympathetic population, as many Jewish children and refugees were hidden in the numerous monasteries. Liege was liberated by the British Second Army in September 1944. After the war ended, the Royal Question came to the fore, since many saw King Leopold III as collaborating with the Germans during the war. In July 1950, André Renard , leader of the Liègian FGTB launched

11811-559: The holy scriptures revelation, and Muhammad told the Jews it is revealed by Gabriel who is tasked to it. Muslims also revere Gabriel for several events that predate what they regard as the first revelation narrated in the Quran. Muslims believe that Gabriel was the angel who informed Zechariah of the Nativity of John the Baptist , as well as Mary about the future nativity of Jesus ; and that Gabriel

11938-543: The house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived

12065-451: The instruments of the Passion. An unusual feature is that, although Mary and Joseph did not marry until after the Annunciation, they are apparently living together and sharing the same space. Joseph is shown with the tools of his craft, visible implements include an ax, saw, rod, and a small footstool sitting before a fire of burning logs. Joseph's presence is may be intended to invoke 10 :15 from

12192-425: The inventions that were to make the technique so successful and adaptable over the following centuries. The serenity of the works is achieved, in part, through the dominance of pale, opaque white, red, and blue hues. The size of the panels and the at times minute attention to detail are similar to the focus of contemporary miniatures, of the kind seem in the two illuminated manuscripts in the central panel. The panel

12319-400: The iron and steel industry. The industrial complex of Seraing was the largest in the world. It once boasted numerous blast furnaces and mills. Liège has also been an important centre for gunsmithing since the Middle Ages and the arms industry is still strong today, with the headquarters of FN Herstal and CMI Defence being located in Liège. Although from 1960 on the secondary sector

12446-458: The last one was a separate colliery. The shafts were 120 fathoms (720 ft; 220 m) deep. Water was led to a sump ( serrement ) from which it could be pumped to the surface. At 11:00 on 28 February 1812 the sump in the Beaujone mine failed and flooded the entire colliery. Of the 127 men down the mine at the time 35 escaped by the main shaft, but 74 were trapped. [These numbers are taken from

12573-530: The modern Gregorian Calendar , a difference of 13 days). Eastern Orthodox commemorate him, not only on his November feast, but also on two other days: Saint Gabriel the Archangel is commemorated on the vigil of the Feast of the Annunciation by Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate and ROCOR Western Rite . The Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates his feast on 13 Paoni , 22 Koiak and 26 Paoni . The Ethiopian Church celebrates his feast on 18 December (in

12700-456: The opening up of borders within the European Union , surging steel prices, and improved administration. Several new shopping centres have been built, and numerous repairs carried out. On 13 December 2011, there was a grenade and gun attack at Place Saint-Lambert . An attacker, later identified as Nordine Amrani, aged 33, armed with grenades and an assault rifle, attacked people waiting at

12827-499: The outer commuter zone, covers an area of 1,879 km (725 sq mi) and had a total population of 749,110 on 1 January 2008. This includes a total of 52 municipalities, among others, Herstal and Seraing . Liège ranks as the third most populous urban area in Belgium, after Brussels and Antwerp , and the fourth municipality after Antwerp, Ghent and Charleroi . The city is part of the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion . The name

12954-515: The presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. After completing his required week of ministry, Zacharias returns to his home and his wife Elizabeth conceives. After she has completed five months of her pregnancy ( Luke 1:21–25 ), Gabriel appears again, now to Mary, to announce

13081-596: The primary archangels and as the Angel of Revelation in Islam . He is primarily mentioned in the verses 2:97 , 2:98 and 66:4 of the Quran . However, the Quranic text doesn't refer to him as an angel. In the Quran, the archangel Gabriel appears named in 2:97 and 66:4 , as well as in 2:98 , where he is mentioned along with the archangel Michael . Tafsir (Exegetical Quranic literature) narrates that Muhammad saw

13208-499: The prophet Noah . The two are regarded as the same individual; Noah being his mortal name and Gabriel being his heavenly name. Gabriel ( Arabic : جِبْرِيل , romanized :  Jibrīl ; also Arabic : جبرائيل , romanized :  Jibrāʾīl or Jabrāʾīl , derived from the Hebrew : גַּבְרִיאֵל , romanized :  Gaḇrīʾēl ) in many places in Qur'an, is revered as one of

13335-513: The protection of the underground defence tunnels beneath the main citadel, one direct artillery hit caused a huge explosion, which eventually led to the surrender of the Belgian forces. The Belgian resistance was shorter than had been intended, but the twelve days of delay caused by the siege nonetheless contributed to the eventual failure of the German invasion of France. The city was subsequently occupied by

13462-456: The repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal life, is named Phanuel.' And these are the four angels of the Lord of Spirits and the four voices I heard in those days. The Christian movement of Gnosticism paid special attention to angels as beings belonging to a pantheon of spiritual forces involved in the creation of the world. According to one ancient Gnostic manuscript , the Holy Book of

13589-522: The report, the 18 miner discrepancy is unexplained.] The trapped men attempted to dig a passageway into Mamonster. After 23 feet (7.0 m) there was a firedamp explosion and they realised that they had penetrated some old workings belonging to an abandoned mine, Martin Wery. The overseer, Monsieur Goffin, led the men to the point in Martin Wery which he judged closest to Mamonster and they commence to dig. By

13716-577: The rest of Belgium, the population of minorities has grown significantly since the 1990s. The city has become the home to large numbers of Algerian, Moroccan, Turkish, and Vietnamese immigrants. Liège also houses a significant Afro-Belgian community. The city is a major educational hub in Belgium. There are 42,000 pupils attending more than 24 schools. The University of Liège , founded in 1817, has 20,000 students. The "Le Quinze Août" celebration takes place annually on 15 August in Outremeuse and celebrates

13843-570: The rest of Western Europe. Its three principal stations are Liège-Guillemins railway station , Liège-Carré, and Liège-Saint-Lambert. The InterCity Express and Thalys call at Liège-Guillemins, providing direct connections to Cologne and Frankfurt and Paris-Nord respectively. Gabriel In the Abrahamic religions ( Judaism , Christianity , Islam and the Baháʼí Faith ), Gabriel ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ b r i ə l / GAY -bree-əl )

13970-563: The risk of a firedamp explosion. By 7pm that evening an opening was made, 511 feet (156 m) of tunnel had been dug by hand in five days. All of the 74 miners in Goffin's part survived and were brought to the surface. Liège is served by Liège Airport , located in Bierset, a few kilometres west of the city. It is the principal axis for the delivery of freight and in 2011 was the world's 33rd busiest cargo airport. Passenger services are very few. It

14097-470: The same year as the Ghent Altarpiece , in 1432, making the painter a contemporary of Jan van Eyck . It is usually accepted as belonging to a group of paintings associated with the Master of Flémalle, assumed to be Robert Campin . For a time it was attributed to Campin's apprentice Rogier van der Weyden based on the realistic style that would become van der Weyden's hallmark. There is another version of

14224-502: The season. Liège is the only city that has hosted stages of all three cycling Grand Tours . It staged the start of the 1973 and 2006 Giro d'Italia ; as well as the Grand Départ of the 2004 , 2012 , and 2017 Tour de France making it the first city outside France to host the Grand Départ twice or more times. In 2009 , the Vuelta a España visited Liège after four stages in

14351-423: The second day they had run out of candles and dug the remainder of a 36 feet (11 m) gallery in darkness. On the surface the only possible rescue was held to be via Mamonster. A heading was driven towards Beaujone with all possible speed, including blasting. The trapped miners heard the rescuers and vice versa. Five days after the accident communication was possible and the rescuers worked in darkness to avoid

14478-520: The spires of two churches, one of which is now lost, the churches of St. Pierre (left) and Sainte Croix (right) in Liege. The iconography contains complex religious symbolism, although their extent and exact nature is debated – Meyer Schapiro pioneered the study of the symbolism of the mousetrap, and Erwin Panofsky later extended, or perhaps over-extended, the analysis of symbols to cover many more details of

14605-440: The strength given by God to the timorous people who would bring into the world a fearful and troublesome event. "Therefore it was an opportune choice that designated Gabriel for the work he had to accomplish, or rather, because he was to accomplish it therefore he was called Gabriel." The feast day of Saint Gabriel the Archangel was exclusively celebrated on 18 March according to many sources dating between 1588 and 1921; unusually,

14732-403: The table in particular is illogical. Art historian Lorne Campbell describes these distortions as "disturbing". It shows the moment before the traditional Annunciation scene, when Mary is still unaware of the presence of Gabriel. She is in a red gown rather than the more usual blue, and in a relaxed pose, reading from a book of hours , with her hair unbound. Unusually for a medieval depiction of

14859-459: The table may allude to the sixteen main Hebrew prophets; the table is usually seen as an altar, and the archangel Gabriel wears the vestments of a deacon . The basin may represent both the purity of Virgin, and the cleansing of the Christian act of baptism . In the right-hand panel, Saint Joseph , a carpenter, has constructed a mouse trap symbolizing Christ's trapping and defeat of the devil,

14986-478: The time, and defeated him in battle near the city. Shortly after, a unique political system formed in Liège, whereby the city's 32 guilds shared sole political control of the municipal government. Each person on the register of each guild was eligible to participate, and each guild's voice was equal, making it the most democratic system that the Low Countries had ever known. The system spread to Utrecht , and left

15113-744: The various hadiths, both authentics and inauthentics, has mentioned that Gabriel, Michael , Raphael , and thousands of best angels from third level of heaven, all came to the battle of Badr by impersonating the appearance of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam , a Companions of the Prophet and bodyguard of the prophet. This is deemed as Zubayr personal honor according to Islamic belief. Meanwhile, Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri has recorded in his historiography works of Quran and Hadith revelation in Prophetic biography , that Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas testified he saw two unidentified warriors clad in white had protected Muhammad during

15240-486: Was commissioned either by the businessman Jan Engelbrecht, or the Cologne -born merchant Peter Engelbrecht and his wife Margarete Scrynmaker. Engelbrecht translates from German as "angel brings", while Scrynmaker means "cabinet maker", the latter perhaps influencing the choice of Joseph in the right hand panel. Saint Joseph , a carpenter by trade, occupies the right-hand panel. He is shown at work, boring spike holes into one of

15367-497: Was consoled by Gabriel sometime after the Fall , too. He is known by many names in Islam, such as "keeper of holiness". In Hadith traditions, Jibril is said to have six hundred wings. Muslims believe that Gabriel was mainly tasked with transmitting the scriptures from God to the prophets and messengers , as Asbab al-Nuzul or revelation when Muhammad was questioned which angel is revealing

15494-744: Was killed in a bomb attack by a lawyer . Liège is also known as a traditionally socialist city. In 1991, powerful Socialist André Cools , a former Deputy Prime Minister, was gunned down in front of his girlfriend's apartment. Many suspected that the assassination was related to a corruption scandal which swept the Socialist Party , and the Belgian Federal Government in general, after Cools' death. Two men were sentenced to twenty years in jail in 2004, for involvement in Cools' murder. Liège has shown some signs of economic recovery in recent years with

15621-539: Was one of three angels who had earlier informed Abraham of the birth of Isaac ( 51:24–30 ). Gabriel also makes a famous appearance in the Hadith of Gabriel , in which he questions Muhammad on the core tenets of Islam. Gabriel is also believed to have delivered punishment from God to the Sodomites by leveling the entire city of Sodom with a tip of his wing. According to a Hadith narrated by Abu Dharr al-Ghifari , which

15748-547: Was shot dead. Belgian broadcaster RTBF said the gunman was temporarily released from prison on 28 May where he had been serving time on drug offences. The incident is currently being treated as terrorism. In spite of its inland position Liège has a maritime climate influenced by the mildening sea winds originating from the Gulf Stream , travelling over Belgium's interior. As a result, Liège has very mild winters for its latitude and inland position, especially compared to areas in

15875-579: Was technically part of the Holy Roman Empire which, after 1477, came under the rule of the Habsburgs . The reign of prince-bishop Érard de La Marck (1506–1538) coincides with the dawn of the Renaissance . During the Counter-Reformation , the diocese of Liège was split and progressively lost its role as a regional power. By the 17th century, the bishopric of Liège became a virtual Secundogeniture of

16002-536: Was the period when Gabriel was first referred to as an archangel. In 1 Enoch 9 :1–3, Gabriel, along with Michael, Uriel , and Suriel , "saw much blood being shed upon the earth" (9:1) and heard the souls of men cry, "Bring our cause before the Most High" ( 9:3 ). In 1 Enoch 10:1, the reply came from "the Most High, the Holy and Great One" who sent forth agents, including Gabriel— And the Lord said to Gabriel: "Proceed against

16129-549: Was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over

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