‘BEAUTY TOUCHES THE HEART’

Catholic church restoring architecture, lifting spirits

ANSONIA >> In his mind’s eye, the first time the Rev. James Sullivan saw the plain beige walls of the Church of the Assumption, it was restored to its full magnificence, he said.

Sullivan needed to do this because in a spirit of simplicity, during the 1970s, the Vatican Council modernized churches, sometimes covering elaborate, colorful designs with subtle tones after the original paint’s lifespan was spent, he said. As the simplest way forward, in the “spirit of the times,” Assumption was painted beige-brown, two neutral tones that covered an elaborate palette of greens.

“With that came the loss of a certain reverence,” said Sullivan, who envisioned the abundant gem tones below the plain surface. .

That unseen but imagined beauty prompted Sullivan forward to eventually completing the restoration of one Station of The Cross, later followed by the entire series, a project nearly finished.

Further, with ongoing funding, restoration efforts may continue to focus on two murals that belt the church walls, along with other architectural conservation projects, said Sullivan.

As the sister church to the original St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Assumption resembles a mini Gothic cathedral. It’s architecture was designed to inspire the human spirit, said Sullivan, a former builder with a keen interest in Gothic architecture.

Prior to his ordination in 2014, Sullivan was a longtime church deacon while operating for 26 years as Sullivan Brothers, LLC, remodeling homes with his brother, John.

Through his trade, and now his calling, Sullivan knows the intrinsic value of sacred art to uplift and heal the human spirit, he said.

Gothic church

Assumption dates from the late 19 century. At its start, the parish started with about 1,000 members, that quickly swelled to 4,000 Irish, Sullivan said. A small church stood in Ansonia, with another in Derby, when Irish immigrants started building the new church that stands at 61 N. Cliff St. today.

“Many men would come here after work to dig the foundation,” said Sullivan. “All the stone was quarried not too far from here, and brought in by horse and carriage.”

Called the Prince of American Church Architects, Assumption was designed by prolific Irish American architect Patrick Keely, who designed more than 600 churches and cathedrals.

Assumption was envisioned a miniature version of the original Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, said David Riccio, of John Canning & Company. The Cheshire firm is a leader in architectural finishes for building restoration and period interiors, according to the website, and Riccio is a leading authority in traditional and ornamental plaster.

Sullivan chose the firm for a special project; to investigate, conserve and restore the Stations of the Cross.

In Riccio’s investigation, several small exposures created on the walls reveal the elaborate, original green palette beneath beige paint seen today. The historical archaeology uncovered two murals that belt the church with elaborate designs that include columns, arches and scrolling vine patterns, Riccio said.

From the nave, look up to see original, artistic ceiling decorations in the triforiums, two arched galleries above the nave that historically were used by monks for chanting during the Gothic-period, Sullivan said.

Months ago, a marble mosaic tile floor was discovered beneath a layer of old carpeting in the church foyer.

“It’s stunning,” Sullivan said.

The fourth Station

A project to restore the fourth Station of the Cross, at a cost of $4,500, was met with enthusiasm during the church’s 125th anniversary celebration in October. After the scene was unveiled — Jesus meeting his mother for the first time — parishioners “broke out in applause and loved it,” Sullivan said. Parishioners were further inspired to donate funds, many dedicated the gesture in memory of family members. Soon, the goal was met.

Even as skeptics grumbled about “better ways” to spend money to benefit people directly, Sullivan defended the project’s importance.

“The money did go to the people, as we are all spiritually poor,” said Sullivan. “This beauty touches the heart, lifts the spirit and brings people closer to the heart of God.”

The Stations of the Cross will be completed for Good Friday services on March 29, followed by Saturday’s Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Mass.

Even while work continues, many hearts already have been touched, according to Pauline Totaro, church facilities manager.

Like you’re there

The Stations of the Cross is a Catholic devotion that depicts the events on the day Jesus was crucified. The numbered series is followed with reverence, pausing at each station to pray and reflect. The Stations are featured most commonly during Lent, especially on Good Friday, in atonement for the suffering that Jesus endured, Sullivan said.

When Totaro saw the fourth station restored, she felt, “as if someone had pierced my heart,” she said. The life-like expressions and multi dimensions of the sculpted art resulted in an emotional, compassionate response she hadn’t felt before, she said.

“As a mother, the worst anguish you can face is your child being in pain, suffering and being powerless to help,” said Totaro. Her own mother, 80, told Totaro that she felt, “‘almost like she was there living it, it’s so realistic,’” she said.

Trompe-l’oeil techniques employed by the artist conveys a three-dimensional effect. That, along with other subtle techniques and details, such as the changing skins tones of Jesus, from life to death and a return to vibrance prior to his ascension into heaven.

Over the past weeks and months, a lone artist has worked patiently at his craft, painting meticulously from his perch on a simple scaffold. Stroke by stroke, over hundreds of hours, Henry Pospieszalski has restored to its original glory the Stations of the Cross.

Stained glass imagery helps provide creative inspiration. Made in Munich, Germany, the glass depicts the life story of Christ from conception to the resurrection. It rivals the finest in the world, Sullivan said.

Looking back

Preservation and restoration efforts are aimed at connecting the past to the present, and the present with the future, according to Riccio. His partner John Canning is considered a leading authority on traditional decorative painting materials, techniques, and historical color palettes, Sullivan said. The company has worked on many high-profile jobs, including on the Connecticut State House and the famous ceiling of Grand Central Terminal. The yearlong job was “tricky because you have 500,000 people below you every day,” Riccio said.

Assumption was a fairly straightforward project, said Riccio, who removed layers of paint to investigate materials used originally. He peeled back layers of paint to start the process, preceded by cleaning and reconstruction, he said. Later, the artist employs various techniques to repaint the artwork authentically, Riccio said.

The figures and scenes of the Station also need to compliment the stained glass on either side of it, or else the original palette will be skewed, Riccio said.

When visitors look upon these objects, the Stations, they aren’t seen in isolation.

“There are bigger narratives here, so this scene is in a context here,” Riccio said.

As a conservator, Riccio’s job is to try to “remain as true and faithful to the original as possible, and doggedly go after colors and patterns,” he said.

Another part of the job is making adjustments for changes in lighting, paint products, and perhaps making modifications to paint as needed, Riccio said.

“The sensibilities were a bit different in 1907. Today, we expect light and brightness,” said Riccio. “Back then, the mood was far more somber, quiet, serene, and so colors would give you that sense.”

Looking forward

With the conservation project gaining momentum, enthusiasm is growing, extending beyond the existing parish.

Once a parish gets behind a project like this, you’ll start to see it grow, said Riccio, based on prior experience.

Just recently, another new church visitor asked for an application to join the parish, Totara said.

Sullivan is “getting people to look back, in a more traditional sense, and to bring some of that history and rich beauty back to inspire people,” Riccio said. “To make them enthusiastic about what is happening now and bring that forward.”

Donations to restoration projects show the message is resonating, and momentum continues to build, Sullivan said.

“Wherever a person is in their spiritual life, there is always room to elevate more,” said Sullivan. “Beauty excites people for the future.”