Posted on 03/16/2007 1:49:33 PM PDT by NYer
Preps are in their final stages for Monday night's liturgy at California's Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano marking the unveiling of the historic shrine's new retablo, or altar screen.
The $2 million backpiece, created in Spain and brought to the Left Coast by boat, is the first project of its kind to be completed in a US church in decades. Topping out at 41 feet high by 30 across, the all-cedar work is completely carved in accord in the ancient style of craftsmanship, and adorned with 23 karat goldleaf.
The central figures are an antique depiction of the Godhead and, below, an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe replicated exactly from a 17th century version of the famed Mexican image. On its sides are the figures of Bl Junipero Serra, the founder of the California missions (depicted holding a miniature of the basilica); the "Lily of the Mohawks" Bl Kateri Tekakwitha, patroness of Native Americans, in tribute to the remaining indigenous population in the area; St Joseph, the patron of the universal church, and St Francis of Assisi, to whose spiritual sons the evangelization of California was eventually entrusted.
Weighing in at 14 tons, the retablo is the product of 14 months of construction by a studio outside Madrid. It's taken a month to assemble in the sanctuary of the 1987 basilica church, and with its arrival comes the institution of a matching altar and ambo, and new lighting and sound systems for the replica of Serra's original "great stone church." As Monday's solemnity of St Joseph marks the traditional "return of the swallows" to the mission, the famous flock are also commemorated in the project; 50 handmade swallows decorate the screen.
Above the Guadalupe image, a small hook has been hidden for the suspension of a handmade crown. While Monday's event, complete with civic officials, marks the community's "reclaiming" of the sanctuary following the backpiece's assemblage, the final piece of its completion will wait until 21 July, when the new altar is formally consecrated and, literally, the crowning event will be performed by Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
A California native, Levada will serve as the specially-appointed papal legate to the celebrations.
May other churches follow their example. It's just magnificent!
One word: wow!
Beautiful!
That is breathtaking.
I visited there years ago. Beautiful.
That's my grandson's favorite word, too.
Gorgeous. I think I was last there in 1986; there's been lots of work done since then.
Beautiful!
About 20 years while on holiday I went to a weekday mass at the old mission chapel. A very old priest was the main celebrant. And to my surprise Fr Mitch Pacwa was the co-celebrant. Long before I saw him on EWTN. I knew him from a debate he had with the late Walter Martin on "The John Ankerberg Show".
This is gorgeous. I suspect it's done by the company Granda, a church art firm in Madrid, which also has a wonderful retail store where they sell beautiful monstrances, statues, etc. They have gotten several contracts in this country to redo old churches or provide special pieces for new ones.
How exquisite! My goodness.
FTCM? I give up ... what are these?
I suspect it's done by the company Granda
Is there anyway you can confirm this? I would be most appreciative if you would freepmail me with that response.
This looks like it. I'm pretty sure it is not the Foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine.
http://www.diogh.org/cce-new/programs-ftcm-english.htm
I didn't see it on their website, but I'll check around and see if I can find out. In the meantime, here's the website: http://www.artegranda.com/
There's a place on the homepage where you can click for English. Some large percentage of their business is now done for clients outside of Spain (probably mostly in the US!). You can click on "Projects" to see some of the things they've worked on.
I like the swallows, what a nice touch. I wonder if I can interest my pastor in one of these.
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