In the wake of George Floyd ‘s murder in 2020, the Church of St. Francis Xavier (www.sfxavier.org) joined faith communities across the country in critically examining ways their community could re-commit to dismantling systemic racism in our world.

Continuing their commitment to racial justice and inclusion, which dates to at least 1960, the parish adopted several measures, one of which was to expand the church’s iconography to reflect the diversity of the Parish, by including international and American Saints and Holy People.

The second phase of this initiative was the commissioning of two tapestries to hang in the entrance to the church. They are entitled, Into Light and Truth: Holy People of the Americas. Renowned artist John Nava, who created tapestries for Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in Los Angeles, accepted the commission.

A number of United States civil rights movement heroes and martyrs are honored in the tapestries, including Harry Belafonte, Martin Luther King, Jr., Fannie Lou Hammer, murdered civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, as well as Birmingham church bombing victims Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley. Ernestine Eckstein, Audre Lorde, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Ida B. Wells, Mother Mary Theodore Williams, and Mary Lou Williams are also represented.

“The individuals depicted in the tapestries worked for and gave their lives to advance biblical justice, human rights, and equality,” says Fr. Ken Boller SJ, Pastor of Church of St. Francis Xavier. “John Nava’s vision to honor them by these tapestries is consistent with his lifelong dedication to biblical justice. We are grateful to him for enabling the Church of St. Francis Xavier community to realize our goal of installing iconography that represents the diversity of the people of God.”

The dedication of the tapestries will be held on Sunday, September 15, 2024, 11:30 a.m. at the Church of St. Francis Xavier, 46 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011.