“Salve Regina,” a new 26-by-20-foot outdoor mural on the campus of The Catholic University of America in Washington, depicts the Blessed Mother receiving a cardinal, which is the university mascot.
The topic was a natural choice for Christopher Vitale, who conceived, planned and painted the artwork for his senior studio arts thesis.
Vitale, a Florida native, brought together his Catholic faith, university experience and the nearby Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in the mural. Salve Regina Hall, the site of the mural, houses the art department for the university’s Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art, but once served as the fundraising headquarters for the construction of the shrine.
Jonathan Monaghan, assistant professor of art, said the art department “is all about giving students the tools and techniques to express their cultivated Catholic identity.” He added, “It is not the first student artwork on campus, but it is the largest.”
The mural was dedicated and blessed May 1 by Dominican Father Aquinas Guilbeau, university chaplain and director of campus ministry.
