Incarnation: Unity with God’

Sacred art returns to Maloney church

By Kaelanne Jordan

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A sacred image depicting the Incarnation has returned to display at the Church of the Incarnation in Maloney nearly 20 years after it was taken down. The restored artwork titled ‘The Incarnation: Unity with God’, was blessed during a special celebration at the parish September 16, with Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon as the main celebrant. Among the concelebrants were parish priest Fr Kenwyn Sylvester and former parish priest Fr Kwesi Alleyne.

Created in copper and brass by Trinidadian artist Mark David Rolston in collaboration with then Fr Clyde Harvey, the image depicts the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child with Caribbean features. The work was first installed in 1995 but was later taken down following a misunderstanding surrounding the image. It was dismantled and set aside where its pieces remained for 20 years.

According to the parish, the broken pieces began a journey of restoration and resurrection during the Jubilee Year of Hope in 2025. The restored image has now been returned to the wall where it was originally installed.  The image recalls the mystery of the Incarnation: the eternal Word becoming flesh and entering human history.

The clouds and overshadowing presence above Mary and the Christ Child signify the action of the Holy Spirit and the loving initiative of God the Father. Mary, represented as a Caribbean woman, reflects the belief that Christ entered human history and embraced every people and culture. In her arms is the infant Jesus, true God and true man, the eternal Word who became flesh and dwelt among humanity.

The flames surrounding the image signify the living glory and presence of God revealed in the mystery of His Son. In blessing the image, Archbishop Gordon emphasised that the blessing is not directed towards the materials from which the artwork is made as though they possess divine power. Rather, it is an act of blessing God and recalling the mystery of the Incarnation.

In his homily, he reflected on the nature of the Incarnation and the difficulty of recognising God in what is familiar. “The Incarnation is a scandal. It has always been a scandal,” Archbishop Gordon said.

He referred to the biblical account of Jesus in Nazareth, where people questioned how someone they knew could be the Messiah. “When He was in Nazareth, they said, ‘Is this the carpenter’s son, surely?’ Or, ‘This is the son of Mary.’ In other words, we know Him. He can’t be no messiah.”

The Archbishop also connected the history of the artwork to a period of fear and misunderstanding within the parish.

“There was a moment in our parish where this was a sign of fear. Am I correct? And a lot of misunderstanding? Correct? Do not be afraid.” He said the image’s representation of Mary as a Caribbean woman also carries significance for the parish.

“The fact that the woman looks like us says something to us. It says that Christ could be born right here, right here in this parish.”

Archbishop Gordon recalled the emotional response of Bishop Emeritus Clyde Harvey when the original image was removed. He said Harvey “cried tears” when the image came down and that the experience was a pain he carried for many years.

Archbishop Gordon said Bishop Harvey had spent “hours and hours” with the artist discussing how the mystery of the Incarnation could be represented visually.

For the Archbishop, the return of the artwork represents more than the restoration of a physical object. He encouraged parishioners to reflect on the journey the image has taken and what it can now mean for the community.

“But now that Christ is risen, you’re invited with Him to rise and to recognise the true beauty and the nature of our God. You’re invited to rise with Him.”