The Mass of St Gregory was widely depicted in late medieval art, as it exemplified one of the most important teachings of the Catholic Church – the transformation of wine and bread into the blood and body of Christ. According to legend, Christ appeared to Pope Gregory the Great (590–604), while he was saying Mass, to confirm his true presence in the elements used in the Eucharist. Here, too, one can see the suffering Christ standing on the altar, the blood flowing from his wounds into the chalice. Pope Gregory kneels before the altar, while three bishops, three cardinals, three elders, a deacon, a sub-deacon, and others are witnessing the miracle. Many characters are depicted with personal features. The painting in St Mary’s Church in Lübeck was destroyed in 1942.