Now let’s stand before the central tympanum of the North Portal— built to honor the Virgin Mary. This doorway is often called the Portal of the Glorious Virgin, and as you follow the carvings from bottom to top, you’ll see a story of sorrow transformed into triumph. First, look to the bottom left. Here is the Death of the Virgin. Mary lies stretched out on her deathbed, her form gently draped in flowing folds of stone. Around her gather the apostles, who have hurried from across the world to be with her in her final moments. At the center, Christ himself appears, not mourning, but receiving Mary’s soul, often shown in the form of a small child cradled in his arms. It is difficult to identify with the heads of the figures missing but you can see a small figure in the centre. Now move your eyes to the bottom right. This is the Entombment of the Virgin. The apostles, solemn and reverent, carefully lower her body into the tomb. Finally, look to the top of the tympanum, where sorrow gives way to glory. This is the Glorification, or Coronation, of the Virgin. Mary now sits beside Christ, elevated in majesty. On the left, she inclines her head humbly, while Christ on the right raises his hand in blessing and holds a book—the sign of eternal wisdom. Above Christ and Mary, heavenly figures lean in, ready to crown Mary as Queen of Heaven. The figures on the archivolts are of angels, apostles, and kings of Israel. These figures emphasize Mary’s role as both earthly mother and heavenly queen. The archivolts create a bridge between her human death below and her divine coronation above. Taken together, this tympanum offers pilgrims a powerful meditation on the Virgin’s journey: from end of her earthly life, through the grief of burial, to her elation beside her Son. This door conveyed to the medieval worshippers that death is not the end, but the gateway to eternal life. Let us now move to the third door of the North portal, which is also the last stop on this tour.