Virgin Mary steps on the snake statue

The Immaculate Conception is traditionally depicted as Mary standing on the head of a serpent — a fulfilment of the prophecy in Genesis 3:15, in which the seed of the woman crushes the head of the serpent who tempted Eve. The image fuses the first chapter of the Bible with its last, declaring Mary the victor over original sin and the ancient enemy. It became one of the most beloved iconographies of the Counter-Reformation Catholic Church.