The Importance of Art for Pope St. John Paul II

None can sense more deeply than you artists, ingenious creators of beauty that you are, something of the pathos with which God at the dawn of creation looked upon the work of his hands.

So begins the Letter of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to Artists. An actor, play write, and poet in his early life prior to becoming a priest, Pope John Paul II had, from a very early age, a strong interest and love for the arts. As Pope, he continued his devotion to the arts, highlighting through his teachings and writings the importance of great art in the Catholic tradition. In this 1999 letter to artists, he reaffirms Catholicism’s celebration of beautiful sacred art and calls for a greater commitment to collaboration between the Church and artists. He writes,

The opening page of the Bible presents God as a kind of exemplar of everyone who produces a work: the human craftsman mirrors the image of God as Creator…Through his “artistic creativity” man appears more than ever “in the image of God”, and he accomplishes this task above all in shaping the wondrous “material” of his own humanity and then exercising creative dominion over the universe which surrounds him.

The gift of creativity in an artist should point the person toward God, the ultimate creator. According to Pope John Paul II, when ordered correctly, the artist has a special relationship with beauty and an obligation not to waste this “divine spark,” but rather to wield the power of this gift for the common good. Whatever the art form, whether painting, sculpting, writing, or music (to name a few), the artist recognizes his ability to impart beauty to his audience and through beauty, truth. The Pope affirms that,

Every genuine art form in its own way is a path to the inmost reality of man and of the world. It is, therefore, a wholly valid approach to the realm of faith, which gives human experience its ultimate meaning. That is why the Gospel fullness of truth was bound from the beginning to stir the interest of artists, who by their very nature are alert to every “epiphany” of the inner beauty of things.

He goes on to discuss how throughout the history of the Church, art has continually served an important role. For example, the great Cathedrals commissioned artists and composers as ways to glorify God through architecture and music. As the Pope reflects throughout the centuries on how the Church has upheld the importance of the ongoing creation of art, he makes his way to the modern age and the current artistic landscape. He writes,  

It is true nevertheless that, in the modern era, alongside this Christian humanism which has continued to produce important works of culture and art, another kind of humanism, marked by the absence of God and often by opposition to God, has gradually asserted itself. Such an atmosphere has sometimes led to a separation of the world of art and the world of faith, at least in the sense that many artists have a diminished interest in religious themes…It is clear, therefore, why the Church is especially concerned for the dialogue with art and is keen that in our own time there be a new alliance with artists, as called for by my revered predecessor Paul VI.

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How can we re-engage artists for the sake of the Church in the modern age? Pope John Paul II calls for a renewed commitment to the Church for the arts. He encourages the faithful to be generous with their creative genius and “be not afraid” to share it with the Church. Finally, he challenges the idea that it is only the Church who needs art and instead, he turns this belief on its head: 

The Church, therefore, needs art. But can it also be said that art needs the Church? The question may seem like a provocation. Yet, rightly understood, it is both legitimate and profound. Artists are constantly in search of the hidden meaning of things, and their torment is to succeed in expressing the world of the ineffable. How then can we fail to see what a great source of inspiration is offered by that kind of homeland of the soul that is religion? Is it not perhaps within the realm of religion that the most vital personal questions are posed, and answers both concrete and definitive are sought?

The Catholic Church possesses a rich tradition of beautiful art and it would be impossible to learn about and experience all of its beauty. But today, take the time to reflect on the impact of Catholic art on your life.

We at Holy Heroes want the artwork in all our products to be inspiring and joyful, to intrigue the heart with beauty. This is true for everything from the art in our books and the design of our prayer cards and Glory Stories packaging to even the coloring pages and coloring books for children.

One of our artists is Chris Pelicano (who is deeply involved in the graphic design of nearly all our products, too). He’s an artist who is committed to sharing his faith through his art. That’s his stunning illustration of Pope Saint John Paul II at the top of this blog! You can get a copy of this artwork for your home (or as a gift to a priest or deacon!) in a variety of sizes, framed, unframed–you can select just how you would like it.  Just click here!

You can discover more about his artwork here as well as throughout the Holy Heroes website.

Interested in seeing more Pope St. John Paul II art? Click HERE. 

Interested in our Rosary prayer book (The Rosary of Pope Saint John Paul II) filled with full-color detailed images from classic Catholic art? Click HERE. 

You can click HERE for a Pope John Paul II printout for your young artist! The artist of this download, Caroline Spinelli, is currently working on a project that will land on the Holy Heroes website in the spring! 

Curl up with coffee or tea and read this letter from Pope John Paul II in its entirety–click HERE. 

On the threshold of the Third Millennium, my hope for all of you who are artists is that you will have an especially intense experience of creative inspiration. May the beauty which you pass on to generations still to come to be such that it will stir them to wonder! Faced with the sacredness of life and of the human person, and before the marvels of the universe, wonder is the only appropriate attitude.

Pope St. John Paul II, pray for us!