The Altar Dome

DOME MURALS

The four Evangelists would be in the tradition of the Retablo. Each panel will be 10’0” in diameter. Planned to be trimmed in antique gold, with background halos and garment accents.

MATTHEW THE EVANGELIST

Matthew, the Evangelist who wrote the Gospel that appears first in the New Testament, was different from the other Apostles. He was not a popular man. Many people felt that he was unworthy to be a chosen as a follower of Jesus. Matthew worked for the Romans as a tax collector. The Romans ruled Palestine and the Jewish people in the time of Jesus. They forced the Jewish people to pay taxes to them. Many of the tax collectors cheated the people by charging more taxes than required and keeping the extra money for themselves. The Jews considered tax collectors to be traitors.

In Chapter 9 of his Gospel, Matthew tells a story about how Jesus called him to follow him and how the Jewish people felt about tax collectors. You can read it in Matthew 9:9-13. In this story, the Pharisees, a group of Jews who strictly followed all the laws of their religion, call tax collectors “sinners." Jesus knew in his heart that Matthew was not a sinner or a cheat.

Matthew wrote his Gospel for Jewish people who had become followers of Christ. He wanted his audience to know that Jesus was the Messiah that God had promised to send to save all people. Matthew’s Gospel makes clear that Jesus is the fulfillment of everything said by the prophets in the Old Testament.

Matthew is also the only Evangelist who shares the eight Beatitudes with his readers. His Gospel faithfully reports how Jesus described who will be truly blessed by God in the Kingdom and the attitudes and actions that are required for those who follow the new Law Jesus came to bring.

After Jesus’ Ascension, Matthew preached the Gospel, as Jesus asked his disciples to do. It is believed that he established Christian communities in Ethiopia and other sections of the continent of Africa. Tradition tells us that he died as a martyr.

The symbol for Matthew’s Gospel is a man with wings. Matthew wrote about Jesus’ Incarnation and his Gospel makes clear that Jesus was true God and true man. Matthew is the patron saint of bankers, because he dealt with money as a tax collector. But anyone who reads Matthew’s Gospel knows that money was not important to him. What was important was believing in and living as a follower of Christ. Matthew helps us to remember that it is our faith in Jesus that makes us truly rich!

St. Matthew is the patron saint of accountants.

MARK THE EVANGELIST

Mark was an Evangelist—one of the four men who wrote the Gospels found in the New Testament. Mark’s Gospel was written first, and it is the shortest description of Jesus’ life, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Mark’s writings helped both Matthew and Luke to write their Gospels.

Mark was not one of the original Apostles, and he probably never knew Jesus. Instead, we believe that he was a member of the first Christian community. In his writings, St. Peter refers to Mark as his “son.” Peter may have used this term to show his love for Mark, or he may have used it because he was the one who baptized Mark. It is believed that Peter was the primary source for Mark’s Gospel.

Mark traveled with Sts. Paul and Barnabas to spread the Good News about Jesus. During his imprisonment in Rome, Paul mentions Mark’s concern for him and writes about how helpful Mark is in the ministry of helping others to believe in Jesus (Colossians. 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11).

Mark founded the Church in Egypt and he became bishop of Alexandria, an important center of trade and power during ancient times. He died there sometime between the years 68-74 AD as a martyr for his belief in Jesus.

Mark’s Gospel is a lasting treasure for all believers. He wrote his Gospel to help people know that Jesus was the Son of God who suffered and died to save us from sin and death. When we read Mark’s Gospel, we learn that to be a follower of Jesus, we, too, must be willing to make sacrifices, to “take up our cross and follow” (Mark 8:34) Jesus as he asks us to do.

The symbol for Mark is a lion with wings. That is because his Gospel begins with the story of John the Baptist, a “voice crying in the wilderness” (Mark 1:3), like the roaring of a lion. Lions are called the kings of the jungle. Mark’s Gospel tells us about Jesus’ royalty as God’s Son, a kingship we share through our Baptism.

We celebrate Saint Mark’s feast day on April 25. His life and Gospel remind us to share the Good News about Jesus with others.

LUKE THE EVANGELIST

Luke was an Evangelist, the writer of the third Gospel. He never met Christ in person, but in his Gospel he says that he came to know about Jesus by talking to eyewitnesses to the events of Jesus’ life, death, and Resurrection. Hearing those stories helped Luke to become a believer, and he wrote his Gospel so that others would come to know and love Jesus.

Luke was a doctor and he traveled with Saint Paul on his second missionary journey. In fact, Paul calls Luke his “beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14). Because he cared for the bodily needs of others, Luke is the patron saint of doctors. He is also the patron saint of artists because it is believed that he painted a famous portrait of Mary, our Blessed Mother.

In his Gospel, Luke helps us to know how concerned Jesus was for the sick, the poor, and anyone in need of help, mercy, and forgiveness. Luke tells us that Jesus came to save all people. Through Luke’s Gospel, we learn how compassionate and caring Jesus was. Some of the most famous stories Jesus told are found in Luke’s Gospel: The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) and the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-42).

The symbol for Luke’s Gospel is an ox, an animal that was often sacrificed as an offering to God in ancient times. In his writings about Jesus, Luke reminds us of the great sacrifice Jesus made to save all people through his death on the cross and his Resurrection.

Luke is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles. In Acts, we learn about the coming of the Holy Spirit; the work of the Apostles, especially Saint Paul; and how the Church grew in the world. He was the one person who was said to have remained with Saint Paul during his imprisonment and until his death.

We celebrate Saint Luke’s service to the Church each year on October 18. We remember that his Gospel continues to help us know and love Jesus. Luke’s Gospel also reminds us to look for ways to imitate Jesus by reaching out to help our brothers and sisters in need.

JOHN THE EVANGELIST

John is sometimes called “the beloved disciple” or “John the Evangelist." He was the only one of Jesus’ apostles who did not leave him during his crucifixion and death. In the gospel Jesus even asks John to take care of Mary, the Blessed Mother, after his death.

John’s brother was also an apostle, St. James. Both were called by Jesus early in his public ministry, and like their father, Zebedee, they were fishermen. John witnessed many of Jesus’ miracles. He may have been the youngest of the apostles.

We know that after Jesus’ ascension, John traveled to Asia Minor, telling people about Jesus and founding many new churches. Along with Matthew, Mark, and Luke, John is one of the four Gospel writers. He also wrote three epistles and is believed to have written the Book of Revelation. When you see St. John portrayed in art, you will often see an eagle in the artwork.

A story about John claims that an emperor who persecuted Christians ordered him to be thrown into a pot of boiling oil, but the apostle was left unharmed and without even a mark on his skin when he was pulled out of the pot. The emperor then banished him to an island, where he lived to a very old age and died around the year 100.