An Interesting Discovery

The stencils are completely done on one side. It is easy to see the crisp, clear lines that come from the hands of skilled painters.

Before the painters started on the right side of the apse, we removed an electrical box and conduit that ran along the wall. It belonged to an obsolete messaging system. When the celebrant was ready to begin Mass, he could press a button on the wall. It would make a light on the organist's console light to tell him to begin playing the opening hymn. It was last used decades ago when the previous organ was in the church.

You can see where the box and conduit were in the photo on the right.





Underneath the electrical box is a fragment of the 1948 stencil pattern. In that renovation, the walls changed from a soft series of pastel yellows, blues and greens to a bold, ornate stenciled look.

This glimpse into our past was an unexpected find. I couldn't help sharing it. It is now covered in magenta paint to match the rest of the apse wall.



The photo below shows the church as it looked after the 1948 renovation.