The Spanish artist who painted the official portrait of St Peter To Rot that was hung on the façade of St Peter’s Basilica says the work is the culmination of a life dedicated to reflecting the light of faith in art. Source: CNA.
Raúl Berzosa has painted portraits of popes for the Vatican, and his works have graced the covers of booklets at Vatican ceremonies and even the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum. However, none had ever hung on the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Vatican commissioned the Catholic artist to paint the official portrait of Peter To Rot. The new saint was born in Papua New Guinea, served as a catechist and died a martyr for the faith in 1945. He was canonised on October 19 along with six others.
In 1995, during his trip to Papua New Guinea, St John Paul II described To Rot’s life as “a beacon shining bright, a signal fire leading you to hold aloft the noble ideals which inspired him: faith in God, love of family, service of neighbour, and unswerving courage in the face of trials and sacrifice”.
Berzosa, 46, renowned worldwide for his realistic style and religious themes, said that in the portrait he sought to convey the inner light of which the Polish pope spoke.
“If the portrait manages to convey some of Peter To Rot’s bright inner light and helps others strengthen their faith, then the work will have fulfilled its true function,” the Spanish painter said.
“I hope that the faithful see in his gaze not only a martyr but a man full of peace, love for his family, and fidelity to the Gospel,” he added.
For Berzosa, St Peter To Rot’s essential witness lies in the conviction that holiness “can be lived out in everyday life, even in the midst of suffering, as in his case”.
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How to convey the serenity of a martyr? The challenge of painting Peter To Rot’s portrait (By Andrés Henríquez, CNA)
