Murals of the Basilica

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"The Falling Asleep"

In the panel “The Dormition,” the last fresco on the south side, the Apostles are gather around the body of the Blessed Virgin, who is either asleep or dead. Christ is present in a mandorla, holding a scepter crowned by a cross, and he is surrounded by four angels. Two are blowing trumpets, while the lower two carry a crown and scepter, in preparation of the coming “Coronation of the Blessed Virgin.” At Mary’s head is John, the Beloved Disciple, and at her feet is most likely Peter, portrayed with a furrowed brow.

Between the two candlesticks in front of the bier is a vessel with lilies, an iconographic symbol representing the purity of the Blessed Virgin.

This fresco was so badly damaged over the century of its existence it could not be restored during the renovation of the church. The solution proposed by  Evergreen Studios in New York was to copy the original mural onto canvas, bring the canvas to the basilica and hang it over the damaged original. The artist then adjusted its colors to match the surrounding frescoes.