Icon of St Claude La Colombiere SJ blessed at Farm Street

l-r: Canon Wright, Dr Irina Bradley and Fr Robinson SJ with the icon of St Claude La Colombiere

An icon of St Claude La Colombiere SJ was installed and blessed at Farm St Church on Monday , 3rd December.

The icon was created by Dr Irina Bradley, Chief Iconographer at the Prince's Foundation. Dr Bradley previously exhibited a selection of her icons at Farm St Church in 2022, an event which was attended by HM The King (as Prince of Wales).

On this occasion, the event was attended by Canon Paul Wright, Sub-Dean of the Queen's Chapel at St James's Palace. The link is significant because St Claude, who was a French Jesuit, was assigned to be the preacher to the Duchess of York in London in 1676. Although England was officially non-Catholic, Charles II allowed his brother the Duke of York to have a chapel in St. James Palace. The chaplain had to come from outside England; the young French man therefore left his own country to live in a foreign court. He continued to preach what was most dear to him: the message of Christ's love for humankind, symbolized by his Sacred Heart. The sermons resonated with the duchess who years later became the first royal personage to petition Pope Innocent XII to establish a solemn feast in honour of the Sacred Heart.

LINKS

Read more about St Claude La Colombiere SJ here: www.jesuits.global/saint-blessed/saint-claude-la-colombiere/
Irina Bradley: www.irinabradley.com/index.html

Prince Charles visit to Icon exhibition: www.jesuit.org.uk/news/jesuits-welcome-prince-charles-to-icon-exhibition-at-farm-street-church