Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church in New York City has hosted a blasphemous exhibit of “icons” that portray Our Lord and religious figures as models from pop culture and advertisements. The collection of “icons” is titled “The Twilight of the Idols.”
Among other items, the featured image is of a typical 1950’s advertisement with a woman holding a can of soup. But around the woman’s head is a golden halo with letters indicating that she is supposed to be the Virgin Mary – while the can of tomato soup likewise has a crossed halo with letters indicating that it is supposed to represent Christ! This particular “icon” is titled “Madonna and Child (Tomatokos),” a mockery of Virgin Mary’s title of Theotokos, “God bearer.” According to reports:
“The Church of St. Francis Xavier in Manhattan is hosting a sacrilegious ‘iconography’ exhibit created by Nicholas Leeper, a Jesuit known for his blasphemous ‘art, ‘ that features provocative depictions of Our Lord, Our Lady, and other saints in the style of modern ‘pop art’ after the Archdiocese of New York had canceled the exhibit from being displayed on archdiocesan property.
“Leeper’s exhibit, titled ‘Twilight of the Idols, ‘ centers around his ‘Madonna and Child (Tomatokos) ‘ ‘icon,’ which sacrilegiously mimics a 1950s Campbell’s soup advertisement. Our Blessed Mother, depicted as a housewife, holds a can of tomato soup in her hand which represents the infant Jesus. The exhibit opened May 9 and will remain on display through May 29. Featuring an additional 13 blasphemous ‘icons, ‘ the exhibit was originally set to be displayed at the Archdiocese of New York’s Sheen Center for Thought and Culture but was abruptly canceled.”
(Source: LifeSiteNews .com; emphasis added)
Among other images in the collection are the following:
- The patriarch Abraham depicted as the Coca-Cola Santa Claus
- “Mary” and “Saint Elizabeth” portrayed as two modern women smoking cigarettes
- An image of a shirtless woman holding a child with baby powder meant to represent the Virgin and Christ Child.
- An “icon” of a pregnant woman called “Madonna del Parto (Once Upon a Time … in Bethlehem)” in which “Mary” is the immoral actress Sharron Tate.
- Other images of under-dressed men and women meant to portray saints
As the above reports relate, this collection was so shocking that its spot was cancelled by the Sheen Center in the New York Archdiocese, which is why the Jesuit parish, Saint Francis Xavier, volunteered to display the collection in a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Saint Francis Xavier church has made a name for itself by promoting homosexual sin with “Pride Masses,” and its pastor has defended displaying the “icon” collection on church property.
Belittling sacred persons by portraying them as advertisements or perverse pop stars is an affront against the holiness of the lives of the saints. We should not let ourselves become numb to attacks against the Church and sacred things. The more we become immune to such attacks, the bolder the other side will become in perpetuating them and increasing their attacks with greater persecution.
Please sign our petition against this blasphemous exhibit at Saint Francis Xavier’s church.