A cycle of paintings by Swiss artist Manuel D\u00fcrr has been installed for Lent, marking the basilica\u2019s quadricentennial.<\/p>\n
St. Peter\u2019s Basilica has inaugurated new Stations of the Cross \u2014 14 large oil paintings by Swiss painter Manuel D\u00fcrr \u2014 for Lent as part of celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the church\u2019s 1626 consecration.<\/p>\n
The basilica first built at Emperor Constantine\u2019s order in 326 over the tomb of the Apostle Peter stood for 12 centuries. In 1506, Pope Julius II ordered its demolition to raise a new church from the ground up.<\/p>\n
The St. Peter\u2019s Basilica known today was consecrated on Nov. 18, 1626, by Pope Urban VIII, capping a long project that drew on the genius of artists and architects including Michelangelo Buonarroti, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and Carlo Maderno.<\/p>\n
Four centuries later, the largest church in Christendom is commemorating the anniversary with a new artistic Stations of the Cross, inaugurated Feb. 20, featuring 14 paintings installed for Lent.<\/p>\n
The proposal by D\u00fcrr, 36, was selected from more than 1,000 submissions representing 80 countries after an international competition launched in December 2023. A Vatican commission of art historians and liturgists chose the project, awarding it a 120,000-euro ($141,390) prize.<\/p>\n
The Stations of the Cross is the work of Swiss painter Manuel D\u00fcrr, 36. | Credit: Victoria Cardiel\/EWTN News<\/p>\n
The result is a fresh spiritual perspective on the passion of Christ, depicting Jesus\u2019 final moments from condemnation to burial in 14 oil paintings, each measuring about 51 by 51 inches.<\/p>\n
The jury cited the proposal\u2019s \u201cbalance and expressive power\u201d and praised its \u201cpowerful and immediate\u201d pictorial language, which the Vatican said evokes both the Renaissance and certain elements of the avant-garde.<\/p>\n
Manuel D\u00fcrr sketches the figures for the Stations of the Cross in his studio. | Credit: manuelandreasduerr.ch<\/p>\n
A monumental commission completed in 8 months<\/p>\n
In an interview during the inauguration, D\u00fcrr said that, given the magnitude of the commission, he had to \u201cdraw a bit of confidence\u201d from within himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cPainting Jesus is very, very difficult,\u201d the artist said, \u201cbecause he\u2019s not someone I\u2019m presenting for the first time; he\u2019s someone about whom billions of people already have an image and a relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n
The result is a fresh spiritual perspective on the Passion of Christ. | Credit: Victoria Cardiel\/EWTN News<\/p>\n
Now that the works are installed around Bernini\u2019s baldachin, D\u00fcrr said he feels serene: \u201cI\u2019m very happy to see that the context for which these paintings were conceived \u2026 I think they work well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over eight months, D\u00fcrr produced the 14 canvases that are now incorporated into the basilica\u2019s central nave during Lent.<\/p>\n
From the start, he said he understood he was not working for a contemporary gallery but for a liturgical space with a living tradition. The works were meant \u201cto dialogue with a specific context, with an already existing symbolic universe,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Technically, he drew inspiration from \u201cthe colors that already exist in the floor mosaics\u201d of St. Peter\u2019s; spiritually, he wanted to insert himself humbly into \u201ca very long and very rich tradition of images that have approached this mystery of the Incarnation and the Passion.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Vatican held an international competition in December 2023, from which this young painter was selected. | Credit: Victoria Cardiel\/EWTN News<\/p>\n
\u2018Theologically quite close to the Catholic faith\u2019<\/p>\n
Although D\u00fcrr is not Catholic, he described himself as \u201ctheologically quite close to the Catholic faith.\u201d He belongs to the Jahu community \u2014 about 600 people worldwide \u2014 linked to the Swiss Reformed Church and marked by a strongly ecumenical character.<\/p>\n
Two of his brothers hold doctorates in theology from Catholic universities, which, he joked, helped him get to know the tradition \u201cfrom the kitchen table.\u201d<\/p>\n
The artist said he hopes this Stations of the Cross can help people find a useful way to delve into this mystery. | Credit: Victoria Cardiel\/EWTN News<\/p>\n
D\u00fcrr said he hopes the Stations of the Cross can help people find a helpful way to enter more deeply into the mystery they contemplate.<\/p>\n
He also recalled how his first visit to St. Peter\u2019s Basilica expanded his horizons and left a mark on his creative process: \u201cMy church back home feels very provincial when I see here people of all ages, from all continents and all social classes, gathered around shared expressions of faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
He acknowledged the decisive influence of Fra Angelico, especially the frescoes at the Convent of San Marco in Florence where, he said, there is an exemplary synthesis of artistic innovation and spiritual depth.<\/p>\n
The Crucifixion as the centerpiece<\/p>\n
For D\u00fcrr, the Crucifixion became the axis of the entire series: It was the first canvas he began and the last he finished.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis story has shaped Christian art and European culture \u2014 perhaps world culture \u2014 like no other,\u201d he reflected.<\/p>\n
The station depicting the crucifixion of Jesus was the first and last painting the artist created. | Credit: Victoria Cardiel\/EWTN News<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cross, conceived as an instrument of terror to instill fear in the Roman Empire, has been transformed into a symbol of hope that we wear around our neck,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He expressed hope that the series might offer \u201ca small doorway\u201d into this central mystery of the Christian faith for those who contemplate the new Via Crucis during Lent.<\/p>\n
This station depicts the moment when Jesus is being crucified by Roman soldiers. | Credit: Victoria Cardiel\/EWTN News<\/p>\n
Even so, the most special station for him, he said, was Veronica.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe holds a cloth with the image of Christ, and in a way that\u2019s what I\u2019m trying to do: paint on a canvas and offer a trace, a mark that allows something deeper to be experienced,\u201d D\u00fcrr said. <\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThat is the great mystery of the Incarnation. Why would God leave a trace on a cloth?\u201d<\/p>\n
The station depicting the moment when Veronica wipes the face of Jesus and his image is imprinted on the cloth is the artist\u2019s favorite. | Credit: Vatican Media<\/p>\n
Four centuries after its consecration, St. Peter\u2019s Basilica is thus preparing to commemorate its history not only through architectural memory but with a renewed invitation to contemplate the Passion of Christ.<\/p>\n
Acest articol a fost publicat ini\u021bial de ACI Prensa, serviciul de limb\u0103 spaniol\u0103 al EWTN News, \u0219i a fost tradus \u0219i adaptat de EWTN News English.<\/p>\n