A closer look at the elements of the Bl. Stanley Rother Shrine

Since its opening in February, tens of thousands of visitors and pilgrims have visited the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine. Many who visit the shrine are given pause as they admire the artwork and design of the church and chapel. Some unique aspects of the shrine need more explanation to fully appreciate their place in the building. 

The Logo
The logo of the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine was designed to evoke simplicity and martyrdom – just two aspects of Blessed Stanley’s life. The palm branch inside of the oval is an homage to when Blessed Stanley returned to Guatemala before his martyrdom, in time for Palm Sunday, and it is missing seven leaves. Traditionally, seven has been thought of as the “perfect” number: seven days of creation, seven sacraments, etc. The oval shape is meant to resemble a miraculous medal and commemorate Our Lady, the three crosses represent the Holy Trinity and the sacrifice of Christ and the deep red color symbolizes the bloodshed of martyrdom. 

Tile Paw Prints
The floor of the church, chapel and pilgrim center are comprised of Saltillo tiles. Saltillo tile is a clay tile, traditionally manufactured in Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila in northwestern Mexico. The tiles are handmade and cured at a relatively low temperature. The clay is packed into molds and left in the sun to dry where animals such as dogs, cats and coyotes are known to walk across them, leaving the distinctive paw prints.

Sanctuary 
It is common in churches built during the Spanish Colonial period to have a retablo located on the back wall of the sanctuary. A retablo is a decorative wall treatment behind and above the main altar. The hand-carved retablo contains a 19th century crucifix as well as an original statue of Blessed Stanley Rother in the center niche with Saint Therese of Lisieux, the patron of missions, and Saint James the Greater on either side. The retablo also has carved images of Saints Peter and Paul as well as two antique columns from Spain from the late 16th century and the tabernacle, which has a dome that is a replica of the dome of the shrine. 

The retablo, the altar and the ambo were all created by Ferdinand Stuflesser 1875 as well as the statues and pedestals of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. On front of the altar and on the pedestals are hand carved medallions of the Sacred Hearts of the Holy Family. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is encircled with a crown of thorns and topped with a cross.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary is surrounded by roses and pierced with a knife recalling the words of Saint Simeon at our Lords’ Presentation. The Most Chaste Heart of Saint Joseph is surrounded by lilies, a symbol of purity and chastity. All three hearts are topped by flames to symbolize divine love.

The Stations of the Cross are hand painted replicas of the Stations of the Cross from the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Puebla, Mexico. Each frame is topped with a shell, a symbol of the pilgrim, and the Saint James cross.

The candlesticks, the altar crucifix, the sanctuary lamp, Paschal Candle stand and sacred vessels are finished in silver, which was typical of sacred objects during the Spanish Colonial period. Furnishings in the narthex that include benches, cabinets and tables are antique and reproductions from Mediterrania in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The Chapel
The crown jewel of the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine is the chapel. Reposed in the altar is the body of Blessed Stanley. The altar is hand carved from wood and a marble top. The ambo, the tabernacle and the tabernacle stand are finished in the same style as the altar, and all of them were crafted by Ferdinand Stuflesser 1875 of Ortisei, Italy. The decorative wrap around the nave contains the initials “IHS” and “SFR.” The IHS monogram is the first three letters of Jesus’ name in Greek and SFR refers to Stanley Francis Rother. The mural in the dome that depicts the risen Christ with the Holy Innocents surrounded by the company of martyrs welcoming Blessed Stanley Rother into heaven. The apse mural and decoration were created by EverGreene Studios of Brooklyn, N.Y. In the rear of the chapel, overlooking the altar, is a statue of Blessed Stanley with a first-class relic in the base.