Papal Gallery

The Papal Gallery offers a glimpse of the Knights’ interactions with the Vatican since the Order’s incorporation in 1882, from Pope Leo XIII to the present. Each pontiff has played a significant role in the growth of the fledging society that today stands as the largest Catholic lay organization in the world. An array of artwork, archival material, artifacts, commemorative papal medals, photographs and videos are presented.

Pope Benedict XVI
Oil on canvas, Antonella Cappuccio (Italian, b. 1946)

Commissioned in anticipation of the pope's first U.S. visit in April 2008, the painting causes one to reflect on the first encyclical letter by Pope Benedict XVI Deus Caritas Est (God is Love) and the New Testament parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

Here we see a standing figure of Pope Benedict XVI dressed in the vestments of his office as Supreme Pontiff. A soft golden drape becomes the background, along with an Italiante landscape of rolling hills. On his right is an opened book inscribed in Latin that relays the message of his first encyclical letter “Deus Caritas Est” (“God is Love”). It was dedicated to the bishops, priests and deacons, men and women religious and all the lay faithful on Christian Love.

The encyclical contains almost 16,000 words. The first half was conceived in German, Benedict's native tongue; the second half is derived from the uncompleted writings left by his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. The document was signed by Benedict on December 25, 2005 and was promulgated in Latin on Jan. 25, 2006 and officially translated into seven other languages.

The pope's left hand rests on a stand that displays the opened book, with a highly detailed image taken from the New Testament parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37). It was told by Jesus in order to illustrate that compassion should be for all people and aid provided for everyone in distress, without hesitation.

His other hand rests on the figure of a small angel, whose outstretched arms uphold the light of the world emanating from a small oil lamp. A key passage of the encyclical and an invitation by the pope to experience the love of Christ, tells us that love is the light - and in the end, the only light - that can illuminate a world grown dim and gives us courage needed to keep living and working. It is on the base of this lamp that the artist has chosen to sign her name, A. Cappuccio.

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A Chair of Two Popes in a Tale of Two Cities
Gilded aged walnut, velvet, 1995
Designer: Kevin Roche, assisted by John Kordak
Manufacturer: Arthur T. Foote Woodworking Company
Builder: Andrzej Wilk (Commission)

When Pope Benedict XVI met with interfaith leaders on April 17, 2008 at the John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., his connection with his predecessor was illustrated in a visible way.

The high-backed, gilded chair that the Knights of Columbus provided for Pope Benedict to use during his interreligious dialogue is the same one that was used by Pope John Paul II during the latter's Mass at Aqueduct Raceway in 1995. The Knights of Columbus was co-sponsor of that papal Mass along with the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Commissioned by the Knights of Columbus, it is still another example of the Order's long history of support for the papacy.

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Pope Leo XIII
etching, 1896
By James Fagan (1864-early 1900s)

The portrait of His Holiness Pope Leo XIII, by James Fagan, was published by Rover, Lee and Clem of New York in 1896. It shows the smiling pontiff with pen in hand, working on some documents, perhaps one of his famous encyclicals. The pontiff's papal coat-of-arms appears in the small remarque (proof detail), below.

Leo XIII (1878-1903) was the first pontiff to interact with the Knights of Columbus. When the Order was founded, the Church was struggling to establish itself in American culture. In 1896, when John J. Phelan, the second supreme knight sought papal approval for the Knights of Columbus, Archbishop Francesco Satolli, the papal representative in the U.S. extended Pope Leo's blessings on the Order.

James Fagan was a painter and etcher born in New York City in 1864. He specialized in portraits, often copying another artist's original work for his etchings, a particular custom of the day. He supplied a number of etchings to H. H. Bancroft's Achievements of Civilization, 1896-1900 and other books published at the beginning of the nineteenth century. A number of his prints and books in which his works appear are contained in the collection of the New York Public Library.

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Saint Peter
wood (deciduous); composition (paint); composition (wax)
circa 17th century, after Arnolfo di Cambio
Italy

Statue modeled in wood during the 17th century, after the 13th century bronze original in St. Peter's Basilica attributed to the Florentine artist Arnolfo di Cambio.

The statue of St. Peter greets visitors at the entrance of the Papal Gallery. It is a 17th century wooden copy of the famous 13th century Vatican statue. It was recovered from one of the Knights of Columbus Playgrounds in Rome and restored for display at the museum.

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