8th REL – Sacred Images
Two of these sacred images – Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Shroud of Turin – were mastered by the hand of God. They were not painted or sketched by human hands but were created by God Himself to make the presence of Jesus and Mary real to us on earth.
Art for art’s sake, which only refers to the author, without establishing a relationship with the divine world, does not have its place in the Christian concept of the icon.
No matter what style is adopted, all sacred art must express the faith and hope of the Church. The tradition of the icon shows that the artist must be conscious of fulfilling a mission of service to the Church. Authentic Christian art is that which, through sensible perception, gives the intuition that the Lord is present in his Church, that the events of salvation history give meaning and orientation to our life, that the glory that is promised us already transforms our existence.
Sacred art must tend to offer us a visual synthesis of all dimensions of our faith.
Church art must aim at speaking the language of the Incarnation and, with the elements of matter, express the One who “deigned to dwell in matter and bring about our salvation through matter” according to Saint John Damascene’s beautiful expression.
DUODECIMUM SAECULUM (Veneration Of Holy Images)
Pope John Paul II
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