This month, we’re delighted to share the ninth post in our Walk Through Art blog series, highlighting the sacred art of the Basilica as it corresponds to important Church celebrations and moments in the life of the National Shrine. In this post, we invite you to discover three art pieces we’re highlighting this May – from the Our Lady of Pompei Chapel to the Mary, Help of Christians Chapel!
May 8 – The Our Lady of Pompei Chapel
150 years ago, on May 8, 1876, the cornerstone was laid for a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompei. The church was built as a result of the efforts of an Italian man named Bartolo Longo, who was a convert to Catholicism and sought to encourage devotion to the Blessed Mother. Also known as “Our Lady of Victory,” this Marian devotion exhorts the faithful to use the rosary as a spiritual weapon in the battle against sin and evil, and is practiced throughout the world today.
In the Basilica, you can find Mary honored under this title in the Our Lady of Pompei Chapel, which features a mosaic recreation of the painting displayed in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Pompei. This depiction portrays Mary against a backdrop of shimmering gold, with 12 stars encircling her head. Sitting on her knee is the Infant Jesus, who holds a rosary in one hand. The chapel is adorned with a crucifix that was blessed by Pope Benedict XVI on his visit to the Basilica, as well as depictions of the Luminous Mysteries of the rosary.
May 13 – The Our Lady of Fatima Sculpture
According to tradition, on May 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children at the Cova da Iria outside the village of Aljustrel, near Fatima, Portugal. In the months that followed, the children would see Mary five more times, and the Virgin told the children her name was the Lady of the Rosary. Throughout these appearances, the children received prophetic messages of prayer, penance, and peace called the “Secret,” and residents of Fatima witnessed a stunning atmospheric event that would become known as the Miracle of the Sun. The full meaning of the miracles of Fatima would not be understood until decades beyond – and now, a century later, they continue to inspire the faithful across the globe.
On the grounds of the Basilica, you can find Mary honored as Our Lady of Fatima in the Rosary Walk and Garden in a Carrara marble statue. A sense of serenity and peace pervades this portrayal; Mary is depicted holding a rosary, standing on a cloud with her hands clasped before her. An imperial crown sits on her head, blooming with flowers, and delicate ornamentation trails along the borders of her mantle. She is surrounded by marble portrayals of the shepherd children of Fatima and two sheep.
May 24 – The Mary, Help of Christians Chapel
Traditionally celebrated on May 24, the devotion to Mary, Help of Christians, has been frequently invoked by the faithful for preservation during desperate battles, resulting in miraculous victories. At the Basilica, the Mary, Help of Christians Chapel depicts the Virgin on a globe encircled by clouds, wearing a crown and holding a scepter and the Child Jesus, whose outstretched arms reach out to all humanity. The statue of Mary, as well as the six adoring angels flanking the statue, are made of Botticino marble.
The striking color tones and symbols in the chapel evoke the awe of divine power. A dark blue Venetian glass mosaic by Peter Recker fills the apse, featuring: a triangle symbolizing the Trinity, the descending right hand of God the Father, and seven rays of fire to symbolize the Holy Spirit. Surrounding the head of Mary are 12 gold stars, representing the tribes of Israel. The bas-relief to the left of the inner arch shows St. Peter’s Basilica, the Mother Church of our Faith; to the right is the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians, in Turin, Italy, the home of the Salesians.
The arch above the chapel is inscribed with the following text:
“We fly to your protection O Holy Mother of God
Deliver us from all dangers O Blessed Virgin.”
Sources:
Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words, Sister Maria Lúcia.
Rohling, Geraldine M., PhD, MAEd. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: Guide and Tour Book. Washington, D.C.: Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 2018.
