St Francis’ has two murals, originating from early in the life of the fellowship here, before its establishment as a parish in its own right.
To The End Of Time
This is the title which Mary Adshead has given to her painting on the Sanctuary wall of the Church, for which she was commissioned under the terms of the Edwin Austin Abbey Memorial Trust Fund for mural painting in Great Britain. In her own words: “This picture aims to give a sense of the strength and permanence of Christianity from the life of Christ to the present day. It stresses the continuity.
“I have suggested Christ Crucified and have, I hope, used the symbols of the four Evangelists is such a way as to convey their Power, Beauty and Penetration. It is through them that we have the teachings of Christ, and each Gospel is a literary work of the first order. Therefore, I have grouped them around the Cross, but bearing down on our World of today. On one side is destruction and disintegration under the Atom Bomb, and on the other the family unit midst materialism and scientific discovery, problems of our generation.”
The traditional symbols of the four Evangelists are the four living creatures of the Apocalypse: “And round the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: The first living creature like a Lion, the second living creature with the head of an Ox, the third living creature with the face of a Man, and the fourth living creature like a flying Eagle, and the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all round and within.” Revelation 4.6-8.
Hall Mural
The mural in the entrance hall is a smaller copy of the original which was sited on the outside by the church door and was removed to allow extension work to the church hall. The mural depicts the life of St. Francis of Assisi, after whom the church is named. The artist was Joanna Dunham, daughter of the church’s architect.
The mural shows the following scenes:
- Francis renounces his life as a soldier, symbolised by the sword, and the wealth and pleasures of his family home.
- Francis, haunted by pity for the poor and wretched, especially lepers, and though he shrank from them, he eventually managed to make himself embrace one.
- One of the many legends of Francis’ influence over animals is that of the wolf, whom he converted to gentleness.
- Above the wolf can be seen the little church where Francis founded his new order of friars. Their way of life was based on the words of Jesus in Matthew 10.7-10: “As you go proclaim the message: The Kingdom of Heaven is upon you. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out devils. You receive without cost, give without charge. Provide no gold, silver or copper to fill your purse, no pack for the road, no second coat, no shoes, no stick; the worker earns his keep”. They bound themselves to absolute poverty, hard work and, when necessary, the humility of begging.
- The sun, moon, stars, water, a tree and birds, all of whom Francis called “brother” and “sister”, depict Francis’ belief that they were all created by God. Francis is also seen here preaching to the poor.
- The canonization of St. Francis, two years after his death is depicted by him surrounded by the symbols of the four evangelists.