Saint Michael and the scales of the soul

Valuable glass document

Not only the Baroque altar to Saint Michael awaits you in Saint Michael’s Chapel, but also a costly Gothic window with a stained glass image. It depicts the Archangel Michael with the scales for the soul in his hand. You can clearly see a soul in the form of a child on one side of the scales and a deceased person’s head on the other.

The Archangel Michael is most often depicted holding the scales for the soul and a sword. The sword identifies him as leader of the heavenly host, while the scales represent Michael’s other function, which is to watch over the good and bad days in the life of each mortal and note them down in a kind of register. This register then brought before God who lays judgement on every one.

The scales for the soul is not a Christian invention however. In Ancient Egypt people believe in a courtroom of the Dead where the deeds of every person are weighed. According to the results one can either look forward to eternal life or undergo a second, final death.