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In the magnificence of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a gathering of today’s immigrants—mostly Latino, Asian, and Black—pause on a hillside slope holding their simple possessions. A father in casual wear holds a baby, as a young person in athletic shoes sits solemnly up front. Above in the lofty skies, the sacred Lamb rests upon a pale platform within the radiant glow of dangling golden lines evoking the presence of God.

This touching and grand tableau constitutes a segment of what is perhaps the most significant new piece of public art in a currently divided United States.

“My hope is that viewers grasp from this artwork,” states the creator, “is that we’re all in this together. Employing this grand stage for such a declaration stands as a remarkable opportunity.”

This house of worship, referred to as the people’s church, ministers to around 2.5 million area worshippers. It stands as a key cathedral in the United States and sees the highest foot traffic with five million tourists each year. This mural is the biggest lasting installation commissioned by the cathedral in its 146-year history.

An Inspiration of Solidarity

In the artist’s competition-winning vision, the mural realizes a longtime wish to honor the famed vision of the Virgin Mary, with Joseph, St. John the Baptist, the Lamb of God and angels at a small Irish countryside chapel in 1879. The creator broadens that tribute to include Irish immigrants of yore and the metropolitan area’s varied immigrant groups.

The sizable wall on the west side, beside the main entryways, features a quintet of historic local Catholic notables alongside five present-day frontline workers. Each cluster is overseen by a grand heavenly being in a setting again of those gleaming stripes evoking God’s presence.

Celebrating Multifaceted Contributions

For the five west-wall Catholic notables the archdiocese named Irish-born archbishop John Hughes, Dorothy Day, the onetime nonconformist turned campaigner, and Pierre Toussaint, the former enslaved Haitian who became a New York society hairdresser and major Catholic benefactor. The artist added New York state’s 17th-century Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American canonized, and picked Al Smith, the popular New York politico of the 1920s and 1930s. The emergency workers were also the creator’s concept.

The artwork’s approach is clearly realistic—a deliberate selection. “Because this is an American painting, rather than European,” the artist explains. “Overseas, there are centuries of religious artistry, they no longer require such approaches. Yet locally, it’s essential.”

A Labor of Passion

The huge undertaking required around thirty individuals, including an eminent fine-art gilder for the upper-mural stripes of gold leaf, platinum and heated titanium. It took five months to sketch the work at a large workspace in an industrial area, followed by three-quarters of a year for the demanding painting—ascending and descending platforms for assessment.

“Given my familial background in design,” he answers. “Thus, I knew how to organize the area.”

Concerning the stepping-down archbishop, he announced during the artwork’s unveiling: “Many wonder whether this addresses newcomer issues? Absolutely, indeed. In short, that migrants are blessed beings.”

“Everyone shares this experience,” the artist repeats. “Regardless of preference,” he continues. Diverse political adherents appear in the piece. Plus various beliefs. “Yet, universal human traits bind everyone,” he maintains. “It extends beyond personal compatibility.”