Evening star., 1924-09-21

NJ
whole world be n e
searched for the most
beautiful in art for its embellishments,
,and with sacred symbolism carried
TO degree never before attempted in
E,ny land. there is now being received
in the National Capital what is de-
signed to be the greatest church edi-
nee in the Western Hemisphere and
one of the few magnificent basilicaS
an all the world.
This effort at cathedral building by
the Catholics of North America is
known as the National Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception and is taking
shape on a sloping eminence of the
catholic University campus. The
shell or outer structure will cost at
least 100000 and the interior
adornments and art works will
hs of inestimable value. since gifts
are being received from almost every
land. 1t is intended to rank with the
eight great temples of the worid-St
Peters BaSilica. Rome. which is the
queen of the churches and of temples
raised by the hand of man to the
glory OF the living God" and the
cathedrals of Notre Dame. Chartres,
Rheims, Seville, Strasburg, Florence
and Milan.
The National Shrine is a beautiful
monument of the love of American
Catholics for Mary Immaculate, and
in it will be gathered the worlds
best literature. art and historical
data regarding her life. This monu-
ment will also serve as a university
church. Already there are nearly
1000 men on the university grounds
who are dependent on small chapels
for all religious services, but who
iror I1v Or,
large and noble church for public
services and devotions.
The Is religious orders and COM
munities at the university will find
in this great church a suitable
center for their piety and their zeal
toward Mary Immaculate, patroness
Of religious orders and communities.
This shrine will have the vast
overall length of 46j feet, and it's
great width of 23S feet. Its dome, 90
feet in diameter, will tower to 254
feet The campanile. or bell tower,
will be 332 feet higher. The main
nave will be 81 feet wide and the
side naves IL feet. 1t will be capable
of holding about 1000 persons. In
,the main church there Will be no
pews to obstruct the view or mini
1nize the vastness of the interior
"
feet high. 1t Nill be in the Roman
esque style. whose beauties already
have been proved in some of the most
magnificent churches in Europe.
= i; =
THE sanctuary alone will cost a
= million dollars. 1t will accommo-
date the entire hierarchy of the
catholic Church in America and sew
eral hundred additional priests This
fact, with the vast capacity of the
main church. will make it the logical
scene of the ceremonies of the church
in this country.
Three Popes have given conspicu-
Gus evidence of their interest in this
American cathedral. and one of the
most striking embelli shments will be
gift from the holy father, a mosaic
reproduction of The Immaculate
Conception" by Bartolome Esteban
Murillo, which will be copied from
the original canvas in Prado gallery
at Madrid.
This is the first gift OF the kind
that any Pope has ever sent to the
Western Hemisphere. 1t will be
placed in the sanctuary as back
ground for the main altar. and will
represent years of artistic labor in
the famous mosaic works of the
Vatican. Pope Benedict XIV pledged
this gift when he wrote:
After thus eXhortinS you, it be-
hooves US now to set an example
that will lead our bearers to con-
tribute with pious generosity to this
great work of religion. and for this
reason we have resolved to ornament
the high altar of this church with d
gift of peculiar value. In due time
we shall send to Washington an
image of the Immaculate Conception
made by our command in the Vatican
mosaic workshop, which shall be at
once proof of our devotion toward
Mary Immaculate and our good will
toward the Catholic University"
Word has just been received from
Rome regarding this masterpiece of
mosaic art Count Muccioli, director
of the studio of mosaics in the Vati-
can, has finished the cartoons which
will serve as models for the painting
in oils, from which the mosaic will
be reproduced. The cartoons were
made from the original painting, which
Count Muccioli was sent by the Pope
to Madrid especially to make.
While the gift was the plan of Pope
Benedict XIV, the death of that pom
tiff prevented his keeping his pledge,
but Plus XI respected it.
His holiness sent for Count Muccioli
1~S~
photographs of the originals of Murillo:
After an attentive examination, in
which Plus XI gave proof of his fine ar
tistic sense, he chose the immaculate
conception La Purissima Bionda,"
which is kept in the Prado Museum Of
Madrid, as the model for the mosaic
destined for the Washington shrine.
There are two paintings of the i'm
maculate conception by this painter in
c i'm a
Bruna" and la Purissima Bionda,' so
called from the color that the artist
gave to the hair of the Virgin. There is
replica of the "Bruna' by the same
Murillo in the Muse du Louvre in Paris
The "Bruna" has great number OF
little angels around the figure Of the
Virgin, % in all. The "Bionda," in
stead, has only five. but the picture os
the Madonna, in both face and figure.
Is much more perfect than the other.
!;
'sYsHE Pope, having chosen this pic
ture, told Count Muccioli to go to
NIadrid to take an exact copy. He also