Category Archives: Christian ARTworks month by month

The initiative, launched on Thursday 8 April 2021, follows the Conference “Promoting the Christian Heritage of Europe” and aims to present and reflect on Christian culture and its social relevance within the European Union.

In cooperation with the dioceses of each of its Bishop Delegates, COMECE will share examples of Christian art masterpieces through its social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin), encouraging to reflect on the European dimension of such heritage and on the diversity, richness and beauty of artworks often out of reach to a wider audience.

“Christian cultural heritage is a key element of European identity, which points to the shared history of European citizens and Churches, proving to be extremely meaningful also in present times, especially in the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic”, states Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of COMECE.

Digital visual contributions of Christian works of art will be monthly shared to foster a “culture of encounter” and dialogue, in the light of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti.

Hungary

Christian ARTworks | Benedictine Archabbey of Pannonhalma (Hungary)

This month, our ‘Christian Heritage month by month’ column presents you Archabbey of Pannonhalma, the millenary Benedictine monastery in Western Hungary: a living centre of Christianity and culture in the EU. Click here for more info The monastery of the Benedictine Order at Pannonhalma was founded in 996 in Western Hungary and had a major role in the diffusion of Christianity in medieval Central Europe. … Continue reading »

Czech Republic

Christian ARTworks: Cathedral of the Holy Spirit (Diocese of Hradec Králové)

This month, our ‘Christian Heritage month by month’ column presents the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, the only surviving medieval Gothic church in the area of the Diocese of Hradec Králové, in the Czech Republic. Click here for more info The Cathedral of the Holy Spirit is the principal church of the Diocese of Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic. The Cathedral was probably founded … Continue reading »

Poland

Christian ARTworks: St. Michael the Archangel (Diocese of Łomża)

This month, our ‘Christian Heritage month by month’ column presents the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel in Łomża, the oldest monument in the entire northeast Poland and a great masterpiece of Gothic architecture. For more information, visit the official website of the Diocese. The founder of the church was Anna Radziwiłł, the wife of Konrad II the Red, Prince of Mazovia. The church was … Continue reading »

France

The Procession of Saint Vincent (Archdiocese of Dijon)

This month, our ‘Christian Heritage month by month’ column presents the Festival of Saint Vincent, one of the most respected events among winemakers in Burgundy, France. For more information, please visit the website of the Archdiocese of Dijon. Saint Vincent festival is one of the most well-known and respected festivals among winemakers in Burgundy, France. The festivity yearly brings together all the fraternities dedicated to the Saint … Continue reading »

Austria

The tomb of the ‘Doctor of the Poor’ (Diocese of Eisenstadt, Austria)

This month, our ‘Christian Heritage month by month’ column presents the tomb of the Blessed Dr. Ladislaus Batthyány-Strattmann, an important historical, cultural and religious site in Austria, visited by numerous pilgrims every year. Doctor Ladislaus was born on 28 October 1870 in Dunakiliti (Hungary) into an ancient noble family. In 1876 the family moved to Austria. He was already convinced at an early age that, … Continue reading »

Italy

Sermonetan pole of the Sacred Art Museums (Diocese of Latina, Italy)

This month’s Christian heritage column presents the Sermonetan pole of the Sacred Art Museums of the diocese of Latina (Italy). The museum collects exhibits from churches in the municipality’s territory that are no longer officiated, and therefore unable to guarantee their proper conservation. The rooms in which the museum is set up date back to the first half of the 15th century and belong to … Continue reading »

Malta

St John’s Co-Cathedral (Archdiocese of Malta)

Completed in 1578, St John’s Co-cathedral in Valletta (Malta), was founded by the order of the Knights of St John. Its severe facade contrasts with the richly decorated interior, where decorated chapels represent the langues (regional administrations) of the Order’s members: Auvergne, France, Provence, Aragon, Italy, Germany, Castile, Léon and Portugal, and Anglo-Bavaria. A sumptuous example of the European roots of the Order and tangible … Continue reading »

Germany

The Golden Madonna (Diocese of Essen)

The Golden Madonna, representing Mary with Jesus, is the embodiment of the Patron Saint of the German Diocese of Essen, where it is nowadays conserved. The miraculous statue, sculpted around 980 AD, was the most important Marian icon for the canonesses and sisters of the Essen Abbey, venerated for centuries and brought in processions. The statue is carved in poplar wood and covered with 116 … Continue reading »

The Netherlands

Saint Willibrord by Albert Termote (Archdiocese of Utrecht)

The bronze statue of Saint Willibrord can be seen today in the Archdiocese of Utrecht (The Netherlands), close to the Domplein. The statue is a symbol of the devotion of the faithful to Saint Willibrord, the missionary-bishop who evangelised many areas of the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Denmark in the 6th century. Born in England in the 7th century, Willibrord took his vows as … Continue reading »

Portugal

Saint James the Greater by Dieric Bouts (Diocese of Funchal)

The Diocese of Funchal (Portugal) was founded 506 years ago and its history mixes with that of the archipelago of Madeira itself, rediscovered in 1418 and marked since then by Christian cultural heritage, identifiable in the different tangible and intangible cultural expressions of the area. The painting represents Saint James the Greater and is attributed to Dieric Bouts, a painter of the Flemish School, in … Continue reading »