Lent puts masterpieces in spotlight
The images on side walls of Roman Catholic churches go largely ignored most of the year, getting hardly as much as a second glance as people walk to their pews.
But during Lent, they become an important form of personal and public devotion.
The 14 images are the Stations of the Cross.
Most parishes hold these devotional services weekly. At mine, St. Kevin in Welland, they are held Friday evenings. Attendance varies, usually from 50 or 60 to 100 or so
You may recall seeing high-profile public stations, such as those at World Youth Day. When Toronto hosted in 2002, about 500,00 people watched and prayed in Nathan Phillips Square, along University Avenue, in front of the Ontario Legislature building and through Queen’s Park and finally, in front of the Royal Ontario Museum. I was one of them.
In Rio de Janeiro in 2013, more than one million are said to have taken part.
Much has been written about this moving and intense devotion. One good source of information is on the Creighton University website. It is clear and concise, explaining why people “do” the stations. Here follows a passage about their history:
“From the earliest of days, followers of Jesus told the story of his passion, death and resurrection. When pilgrims came to see Jerusalem, they were anxious to see the sites where Jesus was. These sites become important holy connections with Jesus. Eventually, following in the footsteps of the Lord, along the way of the cross, became a part of the pilgrimage visit. The stations, as we know them today, came about when it was no longer easy or even possible to visit the holy sites. In the 1500s, villages all over Europe started creating “replicas” of the way of the cross, with small shrines commemorating the places along the route in Jerusalem. Eventually, these shrines became the set of 14 stations we now know and were placed in almost every Catholic church in the world.”
I often wondered about the Stations in St. Kevin Church. They are visually appealing, rich in context and emotion. But who was the artist behind them? My curiosity led to some research. The findings deserve sharing with hometown readers.
The Stations are the work of Niagara Falls sculptor Helen Waimel Robertson. She was born in Estonia in 1917, emigrated to Canada in 1926 and died May 22, 2002.
Waimel Robertson attended the prestigious Ontario College of Art in Toronto on a scholarship, completing a four-year program in three. She was awarded the Governor General’s Gold Medal upon graduation.
According to her death notice which I found in the Niagara Falls
Review, she made “a considerable contribution to the sculptor scene in Canada.”
Her commissions included 12 Canada coats of arms, 10 provincial coats of arms, shields of arms for Ontario law courts for various cities, architectural and ornamental sculpture for the Workers Rehabilitation Centre, the crest for Niagara Falls City Hall and the Stations at St. Kevin’s, among others.
Whether one is spiritual or not, her Stations are noteworthy for simple elegance yet powerful imagery combining to create a masterful piece of religious art. They cannot be looked at for only a few seconds without drawing in a longer and deeper study by the eye.
In my opinion, they are an art treasure, and unfortunately, the least known art treasure in Welland.
Waimel Robertson was a distinguished member of the arts community going back to the 1930s. Worthwhile pointing out is that she was a contemporary of Elizabeth Wyn Wood, the sculptor who designed the Welland-Crowland War Memorial at Chippawa Park in Welland.
A detailed profile written in 2000 for Rodman Hall Arts Centre, St. Catharines, offers this commentary: “After the Depression and years of World War 2, Helen Waimel married Blake Robertson, a contractor, and through his business contacts Helen’s talents were introduced to architects and fellow contractors. These partnerships opened the way to commissioned work for outdoor spaces, public buildings and churches.”
It’s my theory this is how Waimel Robertson was awarded the commission for the Stations in St. Kevin Church.
Her work earned high praise in the piece written for Rodman Hall.
The author, guest curator Greta Hildebrand wrote: “In 1957 she worked on 14 panels for Stations of the Cross, at St. Kevin’s Catholic Church in Welland, each a masterpiece set within the stone walls that run either side of the Church Sanctuary.”
Rev. James Mulligan, associate pastor at St. Kevin, has long had appreciation for Waimel Robertson’s striking panels on the church’s two side walls, seven on each.
“I have always liked the stations here at the church. They are almost in the style of an icon. They are carved stone. Each figure is in relief,” he said. “They are so moving, so life-like, they invite not only contemplation, but also sharing in the action depicted in each. You feel like you’re right there taking part.”