Saint Luke the Evangelist, Patron Saint of Artists.
Today is the Feast of Saint Luke the Apostle. He is not simply honored as a Christian Evangelist and physician but also as the first Christian painter. Although the New Testament makes no explicit mention of this, Christian tradition associates him with painting the Blessed Virgin Mary. Some of the most renowned Marian iconographies are associated with his Gospel, such as the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), the Visitation (Luke 1:39-56) and the Nativity (Luke 2:1-20). These inspired centuries of Christian artists who helped the faithful to contemplate the mystery of the Incarnation. Luke reminds us that Mary “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19), a passage that seems especially fitting for the beautiful masterpieces inspired by her person.
Many of the icons that tradition associates with Saint Luke are to be found in the Eternal City. These attributions belong to the history of Christian devotion rather than to certain artistic authorship, it is a beautiful and meaningful act of popular piety that of associating these early depictions of the Virgin and Child with an apostle, much like relics can be useful means of faith, not because they truly are what they claim to be, but because they are true vessels through which the Spirit moves between heaven and earth. Praying before an icon of God’s Mother, attributed to an Evangelist who recorded the mysteries of Christ’s infancy can naturally hold a special meaning.
The most popular of these is, of course, the Salus Populi Romani, at Saint Mary Major. She was venerated for centuries as the protectress of Rome, having been carried in procession through the city by popes in times of plague, war and famine, since the times of the early Church. She is of course attributed to Saint Luke, as is the Madonna Advocata, also known as the Madonna di San Sisto, now venerated in the monastery of Santa Maria del Rosario in Monte Mario in Rome. This early Medieval depicts the Virgin with her hands raised in intercession without the Christ Child, which much like 2nd and 3rd century depictions of Mary in the Roman catacombs, shows her intercessional role as being of very early origins that pre-dated the Constantinian reforms.
At the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere is the Madonna della Clemenza in which the Virgin is presented as the Queen, with the Christ Child beside her. Painted in the early Byzantine style and dating back to the early medieval period, it is among the most remarkable examples of early Roman Marian iconography. Devotionally, it is of high importance for the Roman people as is also the ancient Byzantine icon attributed to Saint Luke formerly at Santa Maria Antiqua in the Roman Forum, now preserved at Santa Maria Nova (Santa Francesca Romana).
Among the most important icons attributed to Saint Luke is also the Madonna del Popolo at Santa Maria del Popolo, according to medieval tradition, Pope Gregory IX carried her in procession during a plague in 1231, after which it was installed at the basilica’s high altar. Other honorable mentions are the Madonna d’Aracoeli at Santa Maria in Aracoeli, the Madonna di Santa Maria in Cosmedin and the Madonna della Strada in the Church of the Gesù, closely associated with Saint Ignatius of Loyola and the Society of Jesus. One could conclude this virtual pilgrimage with the stunning Renaissance quire of Santa Maria del Popolo, decorated by Pintoricchio. While Saint Luke wasn’t around at the time of Sixtus IV, he was however depicted here painting an icon of the Virgin and Child. The image celebrates the long devotional association in the splendid manner of the Roman Quattrocento. Saint Luke became later the patron saint of artists, indeed the Accademia di San Luca in Rome was named in his honor, founded in 1593, producing some of the greatest artists of all time. Saint Luke’s patronage of painters reminds that sacred art is more than just decoration, but a mean through which we can contemplate the Word made flesh and through which God can communicate the mystery of salvation through that beauty which is from heaven.
On this feast of the Evangelist, we can conclude with the words of a favorite office hymn from both the English Hymnal and the American Episcopal Hymnal: Come Sing Ye Choirs Exultant. Joining our voices to the Church’s praise of Saint Luke’s testimony and giving thanks for the artists who inspired Christians to behold the glory of the incarnate God.
Come sing, ye choirs exultant,
those messengers of God,
through whom the living Gospels
came sounding all abroad!
Whose voice proclaimed salvation
that poured upon the night,
and drove away the shadows,
and filled the world with light.
