Saint Bartholomew (Or Nathaniel)

Apostle and martyr, depicted with customary knife in-hand and also holding a palm branch.  Tradition holds that he was flayed, meaning he was skinned alive.  The palm branch, an ancient sign of a victor, is a typical iconic symbol for a martyr. 

Saint Simon

Apostle and martyr, depicted with his customary attribute of a long saw.  Tradition holds that he was sawed in half for preaching the Gospel.

Saint Thomas the Apostle
Apostle and martyr, depicted with his customary attributes of a carpenter’s square and also a spear.  Tradition holds that he was speared to death by a king in India for preaching the Gospel. A popular Medieval legend about Saint Thomas recounts how he agreed to build a temple for a King in India; rather than building a structure, he gave the money to the poor and explained to the King he would have a temple in heaven.  The king became a Christian.
 

Saint Matthew

Apostle, Evangelist, and martyr, depicted holding an open book to symbolize the Gospel he wrote. An angel (or small man) appears at his feet, which is the symbol traditionally assigned to Saint Matthew as a Gospel writer.

Saint James the Less

Apostle and martyr, depicted holding a fuller’s club.  Tradition holds that he was beaten to death in Jerusalem after being thrown from the Temple walls.

Saint Andrew

Apostle and martyr, depicted holding his customary attribute of an x-shaped cross.  Tradition holds that he was crucified for preaching the Gospel on a cross in the shape of an X.

Saint Philip

Apostle and martyr, depicted holding his customary attribute of loaves of bread.  In the story of the multiplication of the loaves in the Gospel of John, Philip is the one who tells Jesus that they do not have nearly enough money to buy bread for all of the people in the crowds.

Saint John the Baptist

Martyr, as well as the last and greatest of the prophets.  He is dressed in clothing made of camel’s hair as described in the Gospels.  In one hand he holds a sea shell to call to mind his baptism of the Lord.  He grips his customary attribute of a staff with a banner on it that reads in Latin “Ecce Agnus Dei,” (“Behold the Lamb of God”) which is how John accurately describes the Lord Jesus in the Gospel of John.  At his feet is a lamb symbolizing John’s role as a pointer to the Lamb of God. 

Saint Mary Magdalene

Mary of the Village of Magdala, who was a devoted disciple of the Lord Jesus.  Often termed the “Apostle to the Apostles” because she was the first one to encounter the Risen Christ, and the one to whom he entrusted the news of his Resurrection from the dead which she in turn delivered to the Apostles.  In the mural she is intentionally the only woman placed on the left side with the Apostles.  At her feet is a flask of ointment, her customary attribute, possibly because she is the woman who anointed Jesus while he was alive, or because she brought oil to anoint him upon his death. 

Saint John the Evangelist

Apostle and Evangelist, but not a martyr.  He is placed in the mural in the center beneath Christ as one of the most prominent of the Apostles, frequently appearing together in Gospel stories with Peter and James.  Typically, he is depicted without a beard to convey the tradition that he was the youngest of the Apostles.  Near him is placed an eagle, which is the symbol traditionally assigned to Saint John as a Gospel writer.

Saint James the Great

Apostle and martyr.  Also placed in the mural center as one of the most prominent of the Apostles, with Peter and John, he is depicted with his customary attributes of the pilgrim: a staff with gourd (for water), and a sea shell on his cloak.  Among the most famous of the Christian pilgrimage destinations in the world is that of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.  By tradition, James the Great preached in Spain before his martyrdom, and the popularity of the pilgrimage to venerate his relics there gave rise to his typical depictions in art.

Saint Peter

Apostle, martyr, first pope.  Leader of the Apostolic College, he is placed in the center of the mural with James and John.  He is typically depicted with a short beard and shorter curly hair, and almost always holding keys.  The keys symbolize the apostolic authority imparted to him, and also to the apostles and successors as a whole, to speak enduringly with Christ’s authority on matters of salvation.

Saint Paul

Apostle and martyr.  Typically depicted with a beard, he clutches his customary attribute of a sword, the instrument of his death by beheading in Rome.

Saint Therese of Lisieux

Virgin and doctor of the Church.  Placed in the mural near the other women doctors of the Church, she is shown in the Carmelite habit, holding her customary attributes of roses and the crucifix. 

Saint Teresa of Avila

Virgin, founder, and doctor of the Church.  Clothed in the Carmelite habit, shown kneeling in mystical adoration, and with the customary arrow of prayerful ecstasy piercing her heart.  Both she and Therese of Lisieux appear in the altar mural at this church in acknowledgement of the great spiritual gift of the nearby Carmelite community of Holy Hill.

Saint Catherine of Siena

Virgin and doctor of the Church.  Clothed in the habit of the Dominican order, crowned with thorns to depict her mystical communion with the sufferings of Christ, she holds in her hands her most famous written work, The Dialogue of Divine Providence, as well as lilies to symbolize her purity of virtue.

Saint Cecilia

Virgin and martyr.  Martyred in Sicily in the 3^rd century, she is depicted as a bride richly clothed for her spouse, the Lord, her true love. On her earthly wedding day in an arranged marriage, she sat apart singing to God in her heart.  For this reason the Church holds her to be the patron saint of music, and one of her typical attributes is a small pipe organ.

Saint Agatha

Virgin and martyr.  Also martyred in Sicily in the 3^rd century, she is depicted in triumph over her executioners who tortured her to death by removing her breasts while she was alive.  Risen in glory, she holds the martyr’s palm of victory, and also a platter with her breasts on it. 

Saint Perpetua

Martyr.  Noble woman from Carthage, North Africa, in the early 2^nd century.  While facing the threat of martyrdom for declaring herself a Christian, her father attempted to convince her to renounce her faith.  In response she pointed to a pot and explained that just as the vessel could not call itself anything other than what it is, she could not call herself anything other than what she was- a Christian.  She is depicted holding a pot or jug.

Saint Agnes

Virgin and martyr.  Martyred in Rome in the early 4^th century.  Executed at a young age for vowing to only have the Lord as her spouse, she is depicted with her customary attribute of a lamb that is pure, and is also an offering.  The name “Agnes” comes from the Latin word for “lamb.”

Saint Felicity

Martyr.  Slave woman, executed in Carthage, North Africa, in the same group of prisoners with Perpetua.  Newly baptized, and also newly a mother, she gave birth to her child a few days before her execution.  She is depicted holding her daughter.

Saint Lucy

Virgin and martyr.  Martyred in Syracuse, Sicily, in the early 4^th century, she is depicted in triumph over her executioners who tortured her to death by removing her eyes.  Risen in glory, she holds the martyr’s palm of victory and also a platter with her eyes on it.