A MOSAIC BLESSED
In Honour of Dewi Sant Archbishop George Stack The invitation of BBC Wales to the new Archbishop of Cardiff in 2011 was for a gentle interview during which the conversation would explore his background and upbringing and ‘career’ before coming to Wales. This early exploration was soon overtaken by the unexpected and challenging question as to why Pope Benedict XVI had visited Scotland and England the previous year, but had not come to Wales? Not being privy to the planning for any part of the visit, and completely unaware that such a question would be asked, the only response I could make was that: ‘Wales had come to Pope Benedict XVI’ . By that I meant, of course, that the statue of Our Lady of the Taper had been brought from her shrine in Cardiganshire to Westminster Cathedral and placed in the Chapel of St Patrick on 18 September 2010. Speaking of the statue the Holy Father said: ‘Through the ages the people of Wales have been distinguished for their devotion to the Mother of God. This is evidenced by the innumerable places in Wales called Llanfair – Mary’s Church. As I prepare to light the candle held by Our Lady, I pray that she will continue to intercede with her Son for all the men and women of Wales. May the light of Christ continue to guide their steps and shape the life and culture of the nation. Before leaving the chapel the Pope blessed the people of Wales in their own language: Bendith du are bobol Cymru! God bless the people of Wales!. Moving on in procession, a stop was made to invoke God’s blessing on the newly-completed mosaic of St David. Designed by Ivor Davies and created by Tessa Hunkin, the mosaic expresses the life and teaching of St. David in a dramatic and vivid rendition. The designer took his inspiration from the Byzantine architecture of Westminster Cathedral, the artistic purpose of which was to bring ‘the two lungs of the Church’ from East to West into harmony with each other. Writing of the complexity and harmony of the design, Davies said: ‘In order to concentrate and unify the iconic figure within the required dimensions of 198cm by 85 cm, I began by drawing series of circles, one inside the other, on golden section proportions. The first circle touched the outer edges of the eyes, the next the outer edges of the face, the next the hair, then the first halo with the words Dewi Sant and the second halo with Sanctus Davidus. Finally, the widest circle was an outer disc touching each side of the design and the top of the rectangular support.
The mosaic of St David, Patron of Wales
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At each side of the inner halo, two arches repeat the shape of the second halo in silver and silvery gold. One represents water from a spring running into a cup with the words David Aquilentius and Dew Ddyfrwr agitating the water but hardly legible. David’s nickname, Aeqauticus, originated in his fame for immersing himself in water as well as drinking water, eating watercress and similar herbs.
Oremus
MARCH 2021
