For this very reason, I was particularly happy and interested to learn that New Jerusalem Studios undertook a large scale mural of the Transfiguration in the sanctuary of St. James Catholic Church in Liberty, Missouri.
The project was actually completed in the year 2019 and, to give you a sense of the scale, it involved the execution of three distinct panels to create a mural over 33 ft. (or 10 m) in height, The model utilized by New Jerusalem Studios is that of an Transfiguration as depicted in Byzantine iconography -- which is precisely what I think gives this particular project its impactful visual power, especially at this scale.
“The Transfiguration of Our Lord” was commissioned by Fr. Mike Roach of St. James Catholic Church in Liberty, Missouri ...
Following the compositional structure and elements of the Eastern iconographic tradition, the mural features a stylized mountain and elements symbolizing the brilliant light emanating from Christ. At the upper part of the mural is the hand in a circle of light representing God the Father, and the dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Christ is seen with a nimbus and diamond representing divine light. The gold halo representing purity and divine radiance includes the letters, “O, W, N” which are the first letters of the Greek translation of the Tetragrammaton, the Hebrew abbreviation drawn from the theophany to Moses in the Burning Bush, “I AM WHO I AM.” Moses and Elijah are seen at Christ’s right and left, representing the law and prophets. The three apostles are pictured on the mountain in positions representing the Eucharist as Source and Summit. Peter is in the posture of repentance. John, close to Jesus, represents union with Christ in the Eucharist and sacraments. St. James, positioned further down the mountain, is heading out for his mission of evangelization.
Toward the bottom of the mural are stylized references to local flora and fauna and buildings related to the story of St. James and the parish. These are meant to remind us of John’s vision of a new heavens and a new earth. Even our local place, our local history participates in God’s plan of salvation and will one day be raised up and gloried.
This latter point of tying the work to the local community picks up on one of the great traditions of Christian art. Adding local meaning and symbolism helps to personalize the work, making it that much more impactful and meaningful to that particular Christian community. It is an aspect of commissioned works of liturgical art that should always be considered.
We will conclude with a few details taken from the piece for you closer consideration.
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| Christ on Mount Tabor with the Prophet Elijah (left) and Moses (right) |
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| Detail of Christ - the face of Christ here has an almost Coptic iconographic influence. |
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| Detail of Moses holding the tablets of the Law |
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| Detail of the Prophet Elijah |
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| Ss. Peter, John and James |
If you are interested in learning more about the work of New Jerusalem Studios, we would invite you to visit their website or to find them on social media.
