Here is what I don't know.
The act of walling up the anchorite symbolized his death to the world…
In this case, the wall had no windows and the place was without light all times of day and night. The only occasion during which light entered the room was on Sunday, permitting the ascetic to witness the service.
To endure the long longings, he worked franticly, drawing with dust and dirt and blood and rotting fruit and bones and even excrement.
After the service he worked in complete darkness, feeling his way across the image. At the end of the week he scanned it with the sliver of light and made adjustments.
He worked on the same pieces for a long time. Months. Years. Endlessly working helped him feel a sense of accomplishment.
