The has been much discussion in recent years about the nature of imagery in a church. Many people think that if you put a Mary on one side and Joseph on the other, a church has a compete set of imagery. However, I’d like to present a thought from an upcoming book I have just finished which discusses a type of representation much forgotten: the liturgical image which presents the liturgy itself. The example shown here is from the apse ceiling of St. Monica-St George Church in Cincinnati, designed by architect Edward Schulte. (click for larger image).
Just as liturgical music, properly speaking, uses the texts of the liturgy (the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Creed, etc), liturgical imagery shows the activity of the liturgy itself. Typically, the parts of the liturgy represented in imagery are those which are not otherwise visible, notably its cosmic and heavenly dimensions. Liturgical art reveals the nature of heaven itself, and is intensely theocentric, revealing the glory of the heavenly realm and shows the heavenly beings filled with divine life. All is radiant, orderly and restored. The expressions of these heavenly beings are not focused on the emotional and personal agonies of their earthly life, but completely transfixed by the glory of God. Their gaze is fixed on God and they act as one body praising and contemplating the Lord. The setting, typically, is the heavenly Jerusalem described in the Book of Revelation.
The apse mural of the Cincinnati Church of St. Monica-St. George shows liturgical art on a grand scale. The Trinity is central, and the beings in the mural have their gaze directed to God, with the only exceptions being those saints whose role it is to make eye contact with the earthly worshippers and direct their gaze to God. Here the angels and saints sing their constant praise to God in a paradise symbolized by the palm trees and colorful birds. The water of grace flows from the cross supported by the Father and the Son on their thrones, and then flows down to the world. This image is neither merely historical nor devotional, even though it has some areas of overlap with these two categories. Here the heavenly and cosmic liturgy are made visible, so that as the documents of Vatican II exhorted us, the earthly worshipper may more fully, actively, consciously and fruitfully participate “in the earthly liturgy” where “we take part in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the holy city of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God… we sing a hymn to the Lord’s glory with all the warriors of the heavenly army…” (SC, 8).
The book this little excerpt comes from is tentatively titled Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy: Shadow, Image and Reality, published by Hillenbrand Books in Chicago. It should be released in June or July of 2009.
D Mac, also known as Denis McNamara, is a faculty member of the Liturgical Institute in Mundelein, IL (www.liturgicalinstitute.org.)
November 14, 2008 at 9:08 pm
St Monica’s is a truly beautiful church, and there are many of them in Cincinnati. For part of the early 20th century, St M’s was the Cathedral, until St Peter’s in Chains downtown was renovated in the early 1950s. To this day, I believe St Monica is known as a “pro-cathedral.”
November 14, 2008 at 10:49 pm
If only they had let me in to their RCIA program instead of giving me the runaround…
November 15, 2008 at 12:29 am
They know riff-raff when they see it, I guess 😉
November 15, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Absolutely beautiful church! I also like the idea of representing the liturgy in art.
It looks very eastern to me – I was expecting to see Greek, Russian or Ukrainian rather than Pax Vobiscum! (Not that I’m disappointed!) This also reminds me, though my knowledge is very limited, of Eastern Rite practices in consecration, where the placement of the hosts to be consecrated is very specific to reflect the liturgy occuring in heaven.
thanks for posting, DMac!
~Nzie
November 15, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Nzie– your comments are very helpful. I think one of the great things about this church is that it reminds us image-starved Latin-Rite folks that great ensembles of liturgical imagery are part of our inheritance as well.
November 15, 2008 at 7:07 pm
David: It’s known as the ‘Proto-Cathedral’ for her time as the cathedral from circa 1930 until St. Peter in Chains was rededicated in 1957.
November 15, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Thanks for the details, Father.
November 15, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I know, DMac! So many people just haven’t had a clue! I am so grateful my parents made sure to expose us to as many aspects of our faith as possible, including going to Eastern Rite liturgies, learning about icons, etc. I wish was saw more of this in Latin Rite churches – I am considering going Ukrainian Catholic because I want it so much.
~Zee
November 17, 2008 at 6:25 pm
This is indeed a beautiful church. I hope one day my travels will find me there. The only thing that makes me uneasy is the depiction of God the father, as I am always uneasy with ANY depiction of God the father.
November 19, 2008 at 11:07 pm
The work is beautiful. I have problems with such images as the ‘New Testament Trinity’ though. Theologically Jesus is the full and complete revelation of the Father. We cannot represent the Father for to do so implies that there is something else to be revealed, that Jesus is not the fullness of the Father’s self-revelation, not His Word (jn 1) and Image (Col 1:15). I know it occurs all too frequently in the West but that’s because the Latin Church has given so little guidance to artists. Safest bet is to follow the canons of the Eastern Churches. Those who get the chance to visit the ancient churches of Rome should take it. The sooner we restore our tradition the better!