The Sacred Art Gallery of the Archdiocese of Yucatán, located inside the church of Conkal, will inaugurate on July 13 the exhibition “267 years of the Seminary of Yucatan. Art and History “.
The archbishop of Yucatan, Monsignor Gustavo Rodríguez Vega, accompanied by the presbyters Gilberto Pérez Ceh, rector of the Seminary, and Ricardo Ordóñez López, director of the gallery and parish priest of San Francisco de Asís, in Conkal, will lead the formal ceremony.
The exhibition, which will remain open until September 16, consists of paintings, sculptures, 35 photographs and some objects that are part of the Yucatan seminar collection and that, for the first time, can be admired by the public.
“There are pieces of art and we will also have photographs from our Historical Archive, that will be in exhibition for the first time in the history of this Seminary”, informed Father Ordóñez López.
In an interview, the priest points out that the exhibition will emphasize the figure of Don Juan Arjona Correa, who was rector of the Seminary for 54 years.
The chair that Don Juan used during his tenure as rector from March 12, 1926 to February 14, 1980, is in display. “The chair was kept as it was and never sent to repair so that it remains as he used it”, said Father Ordóñez.
Likewise, a wood and leather armed chair of at least 267 years will be exhibited, which is one of those found in the “Manuel Castro Ruiz” room of the Seminary
De Castro Ruiz armed chair is also on exhibition, he was archbishop of Yucatan from 1969 to 1995.
Fachada Iglesia Conventual Conkal San Francisco Asis Conkal, Yucatan (blog yucatán)
Among the paintings, the public will be able to admire one of Saint Thomas Aquinas, patron of the theologians; another of San Juan Nepomuceno, defender of the secret of confession, and a portrait of Bishop Crescencio Carrillo y Ancona.
Also a lithograph from 1885 of Our Lady of Yucatan will be on display. “The interesting thing is what it says: ‘image of the Immaculate Conception that is venerated in its sanctuary church of Jesus Maria in Merida of Yucatan,” says the father and then points out that the church no longer exists, because in times of occupation was converted into a Masonic temple that was later destroyed.
The church was located on Calle 59 between 56 and 54 of the center where a parking lot now operates.
In the show it will also be possible to see a sculpture probably of the eighteenth century of Santa Ana with the Virgin Mary girl. “It is a very old piece of polychrome wood and with a gold leaf sgraffito,” says the father, after noting that the piece has been in the seminary for many years.
Also an image of the Virgin of the Rosary more or less from the same period as the sculpture of Santa Ana, that lost some of its original details as it was retouched year ago. “The most interesting thing about the piece is that it represents the Virgin of the Rosary in a different way.”
Among other pieces, the exhibition also includes a small image of the Virgen de Dolores, which is located in the main sacristy of the Seminary, a sculpture of Saint Joseph, patron of vocations, one of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux that was a gift from a hacienda, as well as a child Jesus and a Christ of the Column who were property of the Mothers of the Cross and who donated them to the seminary, when they left the archdiocese a few months ago.
“The exhibition is an effort to showcase pieces of sacred art. This is an opportunity to learn about the works and history of the Seminary, one of the oldest in Mexico” the father concluded.
TYT Newsroom with information from yucatan.com.mx
