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| c1990 prior to becoming St. Martin de Porres |
This photo of the mural behind the altar at St. Thomas Aquinas Church was provided by Patrick T. Reardon, Class of 1963. The mural was a copy of The Apotheosis [glorification] of St. Thomas Aquinas by the Spanish Renaissance master, Zurbaran.
It seems since the Church was re-dedicated to St. Martin de Porres in February 1992, it didn't make much sense to have the huge mural to St. Thomas Aquinas behind the altar.
Pictured above is Rev. Thomas Libera, Pastor c1988-c1995. Thanks to Barbara Vina for identifying him.
Pat, thanks for sharing the photo.
Additional information on the painting behind the altar. Patrick Reardon posted on Facebook on January 2, 2014 (and re-posted on January 2, 2019) the following:
"At St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Austin on Chicago's Far West Side, there was a painting behind the altar that was modeled on one by a somewhat famous Spaniard, Francisco Zubaran. Here is Zubaran's image on the left and the STA image on the right. BTW, to curry favor with the pastor, Msgr. William Long, the painter put Long's face on the guy in front of the group on the left in the lowest level. He also painted Long's face as St. William in another part of the church."
Thanks Patrick for sharing the additional information.
