Apache Christ icon, painting restored to New Mexico tribe and parishioners July 5, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Arts & Culture, News, World News An Indigenous image of Jesus Christ has now been returned to a New Mexico mission church, days after their sudden removal by the pastor and other individuals, according to tribe leaders and parishioners. The Mescalero Apache Tribe announced on its Facebook page July 3 that “it is with profound joy that we announce that the paintings take(n) from St. Joseph’s Apache Mission have been returned to the tribe and the paintings will be returned to their locations in the church.” The parish is located on the lands of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. The tribe’s Facebook post included two photographs of “Apache Christ” by Franciscan Friar Robert Lentz, an eight-foot icon depicting Jesus as a Mescalero Apache holy man with the inscription in Apache “giver of life,” and a painting of an Apache crown dancer by the late Apache artist Gervase Peso. In the photos, the images appeared to be in an office at an undisclosed location. OSV News spoke by phone with several parishioners who were on site at St. Joseph July 3 and who confirmed that one of the parishioners had brought the artwork back from the tribal offices to the church. Read More Arts & Culture Born in hardship, sung in hope: the quiet, powerful origins of ‘Silent Night’ Attending school Christmas concert, pope thanks children for sharing love Readers share favorite Christmas carols The Films of Rob Reiner Come all ye faithful: Christmas carols sing of God’s love, pope says Marseille’s famed ‘Good Mother’ will shine again atop city’s cathedral Copyright © 2024 OSV News Print
