Church houses largest mosaic art collection

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis is dubbed 'religious art palace'

St. Louis of France – August 25

Photo by Ted Fitzgerald This rich mosaic can be found in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.

By TED FITZGERALD
Special to the WCR
Saint Louis, Mo.

Those in search of Louis IX, sainted 13th century king of France, will find him honoured in a spectacular Midwest cathedral, focal point of the ancient Diocese of Saint Louis and one of the city's more prominent buildings.

Louis was born in 1214 and at age 21 succeeded his mother, Blanche of Castile, as ruler of France. Noted for his reforming of the country's justice system, he fought successful wars against England and was a highly respected regent and capable administrator.

On a personal level, as the devoted father of a large family he led an austere and prayerful life, a model Christian king, pure and charitable.

In 1248, he built the amazing glass gothic wonder of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris to house his extensive collection

of relics, notably the crown of thorns acquired from the emperor of Constantinople.

Canonized just 27 years after his death in 1270, the saint is remembered for an important letter to one of his sons, where, among other advice, he admonishes him to never do or say anything that he wouldn't want to confront publicly later on.

In addition to his honour as namesake of the Missouri city and diocese, Louis of France is the guardian of the city of Paris and is secondary patron of the Quebec Archdiocese, Canada's oldest.

His association with the Mississippi River metropolis goes back to the city's very beginnings. In 1764, Pierre Laclede established a trading post on the river's west bank near the mouth of the Missouri and named it for the patron of French royalty.

A log church was built six years later and by 1834, a huge new diocese encompassing a great part of the West saw construction of the Old Cathedral, still a much-visited historic site.

The city began to attract a variety of religious orders, including the Jesuits who were heavily involved in missionary work in the far West, and soon became a noted centre of Catholic activity.

Later, when a decision had been made to replace the Old Cathedral, it took three bishops and 30 years before architects and a final plan were decided upon. The design, submitted in 1896 by local firm G. Barnett and Associates, involved a Romanesque exterior with twin bell towers and a large central dome. The interior would be a Byzantine riot of marble and mosaics.

Impressive as the outside of the building is, the inside is a one-of-a-kind work of art, the "religious art palace" envisioned by the architect. It is said to contain the world's largest collection of mosaics, assembled by 20 artists to cover 83,000 square feet. Installation of the 41 million pieces of glass took 76 years to complete and, in 8,000 shades of colour, depict Church history from the creation to the Last Judgment.

Even before entering the nave of the huge church, visitors could spend hours studying the artwork in the basilica narthex or porch, a veritable shrine to the building's patron.

Beyond this, a formal tour helps novices to absorb even a little of the stupendous nave, bay, sanctuary, three interior domes, and two transepts and several minor chapels. Each area of mosaic is dedicated to a particular theme, from biblical events to New World saints, while the focal point of the enormous church is the main altar, housed within a huge baldachin, a model of the basilica.

As might be expected, the parish church of such a large archdiocese is an extremely busy place, supporting all the usual church organizations and celebrating important liturgical feast days with enthusiasm. Three Masses are celebrated daily at the main altar of the basilica.

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