Poland: Painting Catholicism Again

The project called “Painting Catholicism Again” was created by two institutions: the San Giovanni Paolo II Institute of Culture of the Pontifical Angelicum University in Rome and the San Nicola Foundation, based in Poland. As explained by Monsignor Prof. Jacek Grzybowski, auxiliary bishop of Warsaw-Praga, the project aims to “promote the encounter between art and religion, the Church and artists. In this way, ensuring the continuity of the evangelical message through the promotion of works of art. Beautiful, wise, and deep works that, with their artistic vision, will showcase the great works of God.”

In 2021, the organizers invited a group of renowned Polish painters to depict the figure of the Divine Mercy Jesus, known to the public through two paintings: one painted by the Polish artist Eugeniusz Kazimirowski (who was closely followed by Sister Faustina and her confessor, Father Sopocko), currently displayed in the sanctuary of Vilnius, Lithuania; and the second, painted by Adolf Hyla in 1943, exhibited in the chapel of the sisters in Kraków-Lagiewniki.

Dariusz Karlowicz, president of the San Nicola Foundation, explained that from the outset, the idea was that the initiative to repaint the image of Divine Mercy Jesus would be the first step in other planned activities for the future. In the following years, the organizers invited artists to explore other essential themes of the Christian faith, present in the art of the past and now part of the world’s cultural heritage. Thus, they decided to follow the path of the mysteries of the Rosary. The following year, the artists, together with theologians, biblicists, art historians, and philosophers, addressed the first joyful mystery: the Annunciation. It was a great spiritual, intellectual, and, of course, artistic challenge.

This year, the San Giovanni Paolo II Institute of Culture and the San Nicola Foundation invited the artists to take on a new theme: the second joyful mystery, “Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth.” On November 14, in Warsaw, in the basement of the cathedral dedicated to St. Florian, an exhibition of 20 paintings by Polish artists, who chose to portray this second mystery of the Rosary, was inaugurated.

“It is hard to believe that the first exhibition took place only two years ago. So much has happened in that time: the number of exhibitions and cities that have hosted them has grown. There are more seminars and meetings behind them. Before we knew it, the idea of painting Catholicism again led to the creation of a community of artists and intellectuals interested in the revival of Western sacred art,” said Dr. Karłowicz during the inauguration of the “Visitation” exhibition. The curator thanked the artists who “accepted this shared journey” by participating in the “Painting Catholicism Again” project, which will take place over 21 years to illustrate the 20 mysteries of the Rosary.

Almost all the participating artists were present, including Ewa Czwartos, Bogna Podbielska, Beata Stankiewicz, Prof. Grzegorz Wnęk, Krzysztof Klimek, Wojciech Głogowski, Jacek Dłużewski, Ignacy Czwartos, and Jacek Hajnos OP. “The appropriate place for sacred painting is not the art gallery, but the Church. Therefore, we consider it a special honor to have the spiritual sponsorship of the pastors of the Warsaw-Praga diocese for our project,” added Karłowicz.

The opening was preceded by a Holy Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Warsaw-Praga, Monsignor Romuald Kamiński, who concelebrated with auxiliary bishops Monsignor Jacek Grzybowski and Monsignor Tomasz Sztajerwald.

Monsignor Kamiński, referring to the mystery of the Visitation, the theme of the exhibition, said, “Mary teaches us something important, which is service to others.” Monsignor Grzybowski, for his part, explained the deeper meaning of the works: “When you admire these images and look at them, try to see not just the well-known scene of the meeting of the two holy women, Elizabeth and Mary, but also what the Gospel reads today, that ‘the kingdom of God is among you.'” He emphasized that the artists “wanted to capture all this in the encounter of four people: Mary, Jesus, Elizabeth, and John, personifying the beauty of the kingdom of God, the beauty of love, service, and peace. This beauty transforms everything, announces the coming of a new world, the New Testament, the redemptive mission of Christ. Let these images make us reflect on the fact that the kingdom of Christ must be among us and that our generation, not others, must take responsibility for it.”

The exhibition featuring works representing the Visitation will also be presented, like the previous painting cycles, in Rome, at the heart of Catholicism. In this, the Polish creators of the “Painting Catholicism Again” project hope to encourage similar projects in other countries. The Via pulchritudinis always presents itself as a privileged path to lead many to an encounter with Christ, the Beauty of the Incarnate Holiness.