Marist College History: Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel
Media
Part of Marist College History: Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel
content
9/8/21, 12:37 PM
Chapel Homepage
https://dev.lb.marist.edu/archives/MHP/chapel/chapel.html
1/2
Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel
Our lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel is the crown jewel in the
diadem of buildings which comprise the Marist College
campus.
When the chapel was built in 1953, its circular design was one
of the first for a Catholic church in the United States. The
altar dominates the center with the congregation intimately
flowing completely around it. It was not until the Second
Vatican Council in 1965 that churches began to move their
altars into a similar relationship with their parishioners.
Acting as contractor and using simple building techniques,
Brother Nilus built the chapel with Marist Brothers' labor.
Poured reinforced concrete buttresses and walls support the
laminated wood beams holding up the roof.
Instead of stained glass windows, Brother Nilus borrowed an
idea of Eastman Kodak that he had seen displayed in Grand
Central Station. He lined the upper inner perimeter of the
chapel with photographic images of the Virgin Mary. On
sheets of heavy plastic he embedded the images of a model
portraying the Madonna with accompanying quotes from
scripture. The plastic sheets were suspended on springs
which compensated for the expansion from the sunlight and
the contraction during the night.
Depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary was a professional model,
Rita Hunt. She and her husband were friends of Brother Nilus
and she did the work gratis. In a subsequent photo of the
Descent of the Holy Spirit on Mary and the Apostles, taken for
the adjacent study hall, the photographer used the same
model along with some Marist Brothers construction workers
as the apostles.The photographic session had to be repeated
because one of the Marist apostles had forgotten to take off
his wrist watch!
Unfortunately, over the years, the images have faded through
the bleaching action of the sun.
Through its serenity and spirituality, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom
Chapel forms the core, the anchor and the inspiration for the
Marist College campus.
9/8/21, 12:37 PM
Chapel Homepage
https://dev.lb.marist.edu/archives/MHP/chapel/chapel.html
2/2
*click on any image to enlarge*
Home
|
Marist College
|
Library Home Page
last updated on June 10, 2004
Chapel Homepage
https://dev.lb.marist.edu/archives/MHP/chapel/chapel.html
1/2
Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel
Our lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel is the crown jewel in the
diadem of buildings which comprise the Marist College
campus.
When the chapel was built in 1953, its circular design was one
of the first for a Catholic church in the United States. The
altar dominates the center with the congregation intimately
flowing completely around it. It was not until the Second
Vatican Council in 1965 that churches began to move their
altars into a similar relationship with their parishioners.
Acting as contractor and using simple building techniques,
Brother Nilus built the chapel with Marist Brothers' labor.
Poured reinforced concrete buttresses and walls support the
laminated wood beams holding up the roof.
Instead of stained glass windows, Brother Nilus borrowed an
idea of Eastman Kodak that he had seen displayed in Grand
Central Station. He lined the upper inner perimeter of the
chapel with photographic images of the Virgin Mary. On
sheets of heavy plastic he embedded the images of a model
portraying the Madonna with accompanying quotes from
scripture. The plastic sheets were suspended on springs
which compensated for the expansion from the sunlight and
the contraction during the night.
Depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary was a professional model,
Rita Hunt. She and her husband were friends of Brother Nilus
and she did the work gratis. In a subsequent photo of the
Descent of the Holy Spirit on Mary and the Apostles, taken for
the adjacent study hall, the photographer used the same
model along with some Marist Brothers construction workers
as the apostles.The photographic session had to be repeated
because one of the Marist apostles had forgotten to take off
his wrist watch!
Unfortunately, over the years, the images have faded through
the bleaching action of the sun.
Through its serenity and spirituality, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom
Chapel forms the core, the anchor and the inspiration for the
Marist College campus.
9/8/21, 12:37 PM
Chapel Homepage
https://dev.lb.marist.edu/archives/MHP/chapel/chapel.html
2/2
*click on any image to enlarge*
Home
|
Marist College
|
Library Home Page
last updated on June 10, 2004