Issue 44 winter 24 - Journal - Page 101
“The Equilibrium
between Conservation
and Spirituality”
A series of four illustrated articles by Jonathan Louth with textual contributions from articles
by Julian Filochowski
Sentir con la Iglesia: conserving spirituality in a busy space
Jonathan Louth ArConsulting, 70 Cowcross Street, Farringdon, London EC1M 6EJ
ing great churches. He then introduced a focus on one
shrine to St Oscar Romero, describing so far the context,
the conceptual intentions, and underlying objectives at
each moment of the process.5
Abstract
Drawing on the inspiration of Archbishop Romero’s
episcopal motto “Sentir con la Iglesia”1, Jonathan Louth
completes his series of articles on “conserving spiritual
places through the saints and relics”2: each saint, each
relic and each devotional object has a specific meaning
for differing communities of worshippers and pilgrims.
This fourth, final article presents the shrine’s detailed
development, through technical design & installation to
its point of dedication & blessing in 2013 by Archbishop
Peter Smith in the presence of Romero’s brother, Gaspar,
Monsignor Ricardo Urioste6, and Fernado Llort from San
Salvador. Louth then brings the series full circle to its
opening considerations.
Reporting on the latter half of a 24 year association with
St George’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Southwark3,
Louth has initially expounded the significance of ecclesiastical, terrestrial ‘mansions’4, the locus of shrines for
saints, and the meaning of relics for ordering and conserv-
Presenting the saint
Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero’s “cause” for sainthood had been championed across the globe by many at
a time when Romero was neither beatified nor sainted;
Above, Archbishop Peter Smith blessing the reliquary cross in
September 2013: the UV laminated reliquary vignette has silicate
moisture control inside
Above, The fragment of blood-stained alb. mounted on linen
in a C19th reliquary [the latter gifted from Stonyhurst College
collection through Jan Graffius]
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Conservation & Heritage Journal
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