Jesuits bring the Passion to Mayfair

Christ Crucified by Velázquez

A large mural of the Crucifixion is being used by the Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception in central London to remind passers-by and residents of the meaning of the Easter season. The 17th century painting is on display adjacent to the Mount Street Gardens entrance to the church and shows the crucified Christ on the point of death.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Mayfair (popularly known as Farm Street Church) has used the site at Christmas for the past few years to display a large mural of the Nativity, thereby providing a focus for people's thoughts and prayers as they have prepared for the festive season. This is the first year that an image of the Crucifixion has been displayed.

The painting of Christ Crucified by Diego Velázquez dates from the 1630s and is owned by the Museo de Prado in Madrid. The spirituality and mystery of the painting has inspired much religious writing, notably the poem El Cristo de Velázquez by the Spanish writer and philosopher Miguel de Unamuno.

According to Fr Andrew Cameron-Mowat SJ, the Parish Priest of Farm Street Church, the mural has already attracted a great deal of interest from visitors to the church. "Being in such a central location in London, we felt it important to remind people of what Holy Week and Easter are truly about," he said. "As Christians, we believe that Christ suffered and died to redeem us, and through his Resurrection, which we will celebrate at Easter, we share in his glory. This mural is a way to visually convey this message of hope and to remind us all of the depth of God's love for us."

Source: Jesuit Communications