By Joynel Fernandes –
‘Throughout history, art has been second only to life in bearing witness to the Lord. The beauty of art enriches life and creates communion, because it unites God, man and creation in a single symphony. It connects the past, the present and the future, and it attracts – in the same place and with the same gaze – different and far-off peoples.’ – Pope Francis
The Holy Catholic Church has fostered a fruitful dialogue with the arts and the artists throughout centuries. This dialogue has always been rooted in creed and creativity making the Church one of the greatest patrons of art and today one of the largest reservoirs of her works.
It is important to note that the inspiration for Christian art began as a scriptural symbolic code. Since the papacy of Pope Gregory the Great (590 – 604 AD), ample emphasis was placed upon the use of religious representations as catechesis to the unlettered and as a visual supplementation to worship. Artists rendered an indispensable service to public and private prayer.
But does the modern believer take the time and talent to identify, connect and be uplifted by art? Through this article we embark upon a tour through some of the most cherished Churches of the Archdiocese of Bombay and their mediums of art that enliven the Catholic faith.
Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem, Dongri – Polychrome on wood
Nestled amidst nature’s hilly lap, this Church was constructed by the Jesuit missionaries in c.1613. Its unadorned façade belies its beaming ‘baroque’ interiors. This includes the gigantic retable, derived from the Latin ‘retro tabula altari’ meaning ‘behind the altar table’. Suffused with symbols, the altar piece serves to praise God and catechize His people. Indo-Portuguese in style, the retable testifies to the marriage of local and foreign art forms. The western grapes, wheat, vine leaves, acanthus, palm leaf motifs have been interspersed with the Indian lotus, cashews and local foliage as well as figurative and zoomorphic motifs such as the nagas, makaras, kirtimukhas, apsaras etc.
Church of St. Jude, Malad East – Stained glass
Dating back to 1971, this Church was moved to a new location and inaugurated on April 28, 2019. Tucked into the dense suburbs of Mumbai, the space is scarce but the arts abound. Natural light softly floods in through a splash of coloured glass rendering a transcending grace to the sacred place. The saints and symbols etched upon the glass elevate the faithful out of literal and figurative darkness. An exquisite aureole surrounds the lifelike Crucified Christ. The illuminated gradation directs us to the ‘Light of the World’ while also dispersing from the ‘Source’ the welling up of life and love.
Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, Bandra – Murals
One of the most famous Marian pilgrim centres in India, this Basilica can be traced to c. 1573. The present neo-Gothic façade with its soaring spires was inaugurated in 1904. The inside stone walls originally bore murals depicting the life of Our Lady. The images were executed in Indian style by the famous Bombay artist Mr G. P. Fernandes, who was also responsible for the murals in the south block of the Secretariat, New Delhi. Over a period of time these have been replaced by fibreglass murals narrating the same story.
Cathedral of The Holy Name, Colaba – Frescos
The Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Bombay is indeed one of the most beautiful places of worship in the city. It was elevated to the dignity of a Metropolitan Cathedral and was consecrated on November 28, 1964 during the 38th International Eucharistic Congress. Beyond its Gothic ribs and buttresses lies the Indian ‘Sistine Chapel’. Filled with frescos every inch of the Cathedral is a feast to the eye and the heart. The frescos were executed with great skill by the Jesuit lay-brother A. Moscheni of Bergamo and his assistants. This theological-cultural array of art encourages the devotee to traverse beyond the seen unto Him who is beauty in all His being.
The Archdiocesan Heritage Museum, Goregaon
In order to preserve, protect and promote the Artistic and Historic Patrimony of the Church in Mumbai on September 25, 2011 H.E. Oswald Cardinal Gracias inaugurated the Archdiocesan Heritage Museum. Spearheaded by Fr. Warner Dsouza, the Director, the museum encourages its visitors to interact with time converted into space and space into stories of faith, art and history.
Thus every object of Christian art in a sacred or secular setting, in a Church or Christian home serves to bridge the human and divine world. Paraphrasing the famous speech of St. Pope John Paul II – The Church needs the arts and the arts need the Church.
Joynel Fernandes is the Assistant.Director of Archdiocesan Heritage Museum. This article has been written on behalf of the Archdiocesan Heritage Museum