Library News & Updates

Gallery Reception | Windows to the Divine: Catholic and Coptic Sacred Art

Opening Reception: Friday, May 9th, 3 - 4:30pm in Gallery Two, Lemieux Library 2nd Floor

Artist: Deacon Charles Rohrbacher

Show Curator: Arturo Araujo, S.J.

Show Dates: April 9, 2025 - May 19, 2025

This exhibition brings together two rich traditions of sacred art: the Catholic iconography of Deacon Charles Rohrbacher and the devotional images, crosses, books, and carvings from the Coptic Christian heritage. Alongside these works, illuminated antiphonary pages on parchment bear witness to the enduring power of sacred text and image. Together, they invite contemplation on the role of sacred art in shaping faith, theology, and spiritual experience.

At the heart of this exhibition is an inquiry into the icon as a sacred image—how it functions not merely as an artistic expression but as a threshold between the visible and invisible, the human and the divine. In both Catholic and Orthodox traditions, the icon is understood as a "window to the divine," mediating presence rather than mere representation. Sacred images serve as focal points for contemplation, guiding practitioners toward deeper awareness and enlightenment.

As we reflect on the centennial of the First Council of Nicaea, a historic moment of theological unification, this exhibition prompts us to consider the diversity of visual traditions within Christianity and beyond. What can we learn from how different cultures and faiths have used sacred images to shape their understanding of the divine? How does creating or contemplating such images transform the artist and the viewer? And in an era of global exchange, how can the visual language of faith serve as a bridge between traditions, fostering deeper dialogue and mutual understanding?

Through this exhibition, we are called to see with new eyes—to encounter the divine in paint and parchment, wood and gold leaf, silence, and song.