Contemporary 'murals' for
11th-century cathedral of Sulmona
The bishop of Sulmona-Valva, Mons. Angelo Spina, has done a truly outstanding job of preparation for both the Celestine Jubilee year and Pope Benedict's visit to Sulmona as a highlight of the Jubilee.
A lasting remembrance of that preparation is visible in Sulmona's Cathedral of San Panfilo, one learns from one of the many sidebars on the diocesan website, and surely, the Holy Father must have been shown the new murals yesterday.
The paintings were presented to the diocese last week.
Inset: Mural on 'The Church announcing the msssage of Christ'
Mons. Spina commissioned a wellknown Italian muralist, Rodolfo Papa, to provide appropriate paintings for existing panels in the apse of the Church which were empty, and proposed six subjects for the panels: In the apse proper, the Apostles Peter and John, and Mary Magdalene as the first 'witnesses' of the Resurrection, and 'The Church announcing the message of Christ' which shows Benedict XVI guiding the ship of the Church: and on either side of the stairway leading to the main altar, the theological and cardinal virtues.
Right photo, artist Rodolfo Papa works on the Benedict XVI mural.
In addition, for a lunette over one of the cathedral doors, a panel showing Celestine V and Benedict XVI to commemorate the papal visit on this Jubilee Year.
In this picture, part of the panel on the cardinal virtues can be seen on the left, and on the right, the Magdalene and Peter panels are visible.
I will translate later Mons. Spina's explanation of his choice of subjects, as well as the elements in the Church-Benedict XVI mural.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 07/07/2010 22:07]