What's New

November 2007

BLESSED MARIANNE COPE PAINTING IN FRANCISCAN CHURCH IN ILLINOIS--'TIS SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS AND INCITING DEVOTION

Painting done by the artist Andrew Hatterman

Parish location: Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Peoria, Illinois. It is a Franciscan parish.

Where in Sacred Heart Church is this painting located?  It is part of a group theme used in the nave of the church. It is located in the center of the length of the nave wall directly over the side entrance. There are 29 portraits in the nave and all are Saints and Blessed of the Americas.

Whose idea:  Father Laurence Zurek had the idea for the theme and selected the people to be portrayed. 

Other paintings: The group of Franciscan Blesseds and Saints is mirrored on the opposite wall by the North American Martyrs. The remaining images are single portraits on either side of each window.

Project completion: This project was finished in June 2006 and the rededication of the church occurred in November of that year and marked the centennial anniversary for the church.

More about the artist:  "I am an artist and have business partners Robert and Greta Hill who are also painters and my wife Linda helps us run the business. Murals by Jericho Inc.. We did the fine art and decorative painting for this project as well as designed the marble inlaid floor, stained glass windows. We paint, design, restore and decorate catholic churches and have projects in several states.