The Scales
The weighing of souls at the Last Judgement, a task given in art to St Michael.
Scales stand for judgement and justice.
St Michael. Christian art gives St Michael the scales of the Last Judgement, weighing each soul’s good deeds against its sins. The Bible does not describe this, but the image grew from Michael’s place as the great protector of God’s people (Daniel 12:1) and the defender of souls against the devil (Jude 9).
At the Last Judgement. Paintings and carved church doorways show Michael with the scales as the dead rise from their graves, sometimes with a devil trying to drag one pan down.
In the Mass for the dead. The old Offertory prayed that “the holy standard-bearer Michael” would lead the souls of the faithful departed into the holy light.
Justice. A woman holding scales is Justice, one of the four cardinal virtues.
Also called: the scales of judgement
Where you’ll see it
In their hands
All symbols →
A statue with the scales?
Every statue is made from scratch in our studio in Mangalore.