Images of the Virgin Mary were incredibly popular in the medieval church. She was venerated as the mother of Christ and for the miracles of the immaculate conception and the virgin birth. Mary’s reward for accepting the role of mother of Christ was her assumption into heaven, body and soul. There she was crowned queen of heaven. Mary’s hands express a conventional attitude of surprise and joy. She wears three crowns as she has been crowned by God the father, God the son and the Holy Spirit, here represented by a dove.