25/05/2018 - New Zealand

  Blessing of the Icon of Mary: ‘The Pompallier Madonna’
on the occasion of the 90th Jubilee of Marist College, Mt Albert

Madonna Avvocata (Our Lady Interceding)

Written* by an iconographer amongst the parent community at Marist College over a period of seven years, this is a close replica of the most significant icon in New Zealand history.

The original was gifted by Pope Gregory XVI to Bishop Pompallier when he undertook the first Catholic mission to Aotearoa New Zealand along with the first Marist priests and brothers.It is a copy of an icon that was probably first written as early as the thirteenth century.  Some versions are earlier than that.  Its origins lie in Istanbul, Turkey, in the Eastern tradition of the church.

Stolen in the 1970s from the walls of St Patrick’s College in Wellington where it was on display, the original has never been found.

The written work has been produced in traditional methods, using egg tempera based pigments layered on gesso-covered wood with real gold leaf trimmings.

We pray for the artist and her family her and ask blessings on her for her gift.

When we gaze on an icon we are being asked to enter into the picture and go beyond what we can see into the very heart of God.

Thus when we display a copy of the of the Pompallier icon, we are putting ourselves in a long tradition of honouring the Blessed Virgin and asking her to be our advocate with and through her Son, Jesus. In a College which holds as its motto, “To Jesus through Mary”, what other image would we need?

*Icons are traditionally spoken of as being ‘written’ rather than ‘painted’ as the creation of an icon is a form of prayer.  Icons have been used since the first century as an aid to prayer and are deeply symbolic in the imagery, colours and composition with every aspect representing a deeper spiritual truth, leading those that contemplate the image to a deeper understanding of the love and mystery of God.

The Marist Sisters were present at this blessing on the occasion of the 90th Jubilee of the Marist College, Mt Albert.

162 visits

See other videos

Our images