Medieval Black Saint: The Statue of St. Maurice in Magdeburg Cathedral

A life-sized statue in Magdeburg Cathedral, Germany, depicts a warrior in 13th-century attire: a long tunic, iron mail coat, and leather armor, with some parts missing. The head, covered by a skullcap under the helmet, features unusually realistic Sub-Saharan African facial traits—large eyes, flat nose, pronounced lips. Scholars unanimously identify it as St. Maurice, to whom the cathedral is consecrated. The statue guards the tomb of Emperor Otto I, raising questions about the presence of a black saint in medieval Europe.