St. John Nepomuk — A Bohemian Saint Favored in Colonial Spain

St. John Nepomuk
Bandera Natural History and Art Museum—New Spain Art Hall

A Bit of History

Conflict with the King of Bohemia

St. John Nepomuk was born in a town called Pomuk (now Nepomuk) in Bohemia (modern Czech Republic) in 1345. He later became a priest in Bohemia and was assigned to the cathedral in Prague. This 40-something year old priest ran into some trouble with the King of Bohemia, King Wenceslas IV. King Wenceslas strove to be a devout Catholic; he would even have an illuminated Bible created: The Wenceslas Bible—close to (plausibly overlapping) the time of conflict with Fr. John Nepomuk! While he professed to be a devout Christian, he also pressed for significant influence within the Church. He was not happy when Fr. John of Nepomuk resisted his power plays.

Pressure to Break the Seal of Confession

Later, in 1393, Fr. John Nepomuk heard the confession of the King's 17-ish-year-old wife, Sophia of Bavaria. This really irritated the already-annoyed king. He demanded to know what his wife said in the confessional, but, Fr. John Nepomuk obeyed the strict rule of confidentiality. King Wenceslaus tried torturing the good priest—no to avail. Finally, this not-so-good King Wenceslas had the faithful priest thrown into the Vltava River in Prague, where John Nepomuk drowned. Accounts assert that five glowing stars shone at the spot. Soon, miracles were reported and the steadfast priest was quickly recognized by the Bohemian people as a saint. (He was officially canonized in 1729.)

St. John Nepomuk
Bandera Natural History and Art Museum—New Spain Art Hall

Symbols of the Painting:

The 5 stars above St. John Nepomuk's head symbolize the stars that shone over the site of his drowning.
The cross symbolizes his love for Jesus and his devotion to the Faith.
The palm branch identifies him as a martyr for the Faith.

¡¿Why is St. John Nepomuk so Popular in Colonial Spain?!

Again ... why would this medieval priest gain such popularity in New Spain?

Here's one strong possibility: historian, archivist, writer, geographer, college instructor, researcher, editor, and Jesuit priest, Fr. Bohuslav Balbín compiled a book on the life of John of Nepomuk in 1670. This was the era of the Counter-Reformation, and the story of Fr. John Nepomuk's devotion-despite-death greatly inspired many who remained Catholic. It seems he became somewhat of a hero for those defending the Faith. And, perhaps due to the credibility of the Jesuit priest and author, Fr. Bohuslav Balbín, the Jesuits felt a renewed inspiration from the book and began to embrace John Nepomuk as a perfect role model for priests and all Christians. Perhaps when the many Jesuit missionaries arrived in Colonial Spain, they promoted art pieces of John Nepomuk as a way to enrich catechism lessons, share the Faith, and to help encourage John Nepomuk's official canonization.

Devotional Painting by Nicolas Enriquez; New Spain, 1776
Note the four Jesuits with St. John Nepomuk:
St. Ignatius, St. Francis Xavier,
St. Aloysius Gonzaga, and St. Stanislaus Kostka.
Bandera Natural History and Art Museum—New Spain Art Hall

St. John Nepomuk is the patron saint of:

Priests Hearing Confessions

Catholics Going to Confession

The Seal of the Confessional

Victims of Slander

Floods and Drowning

Times of Conflict Between Church and State

The Feast of St. John Nepomuk is March 20.

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More Examples of St. John Nepomuk Portrayed in Colonial Spain Art:

St. John Nepomuk
San Antonio Museum of Art—Latin America Art Gallery
*Note the angel with his finger to his lips—this symbolizes
John Nepomuk's refusal to break the Seal of Confession.

St. John of Nepomuk at the Colonial Museum; Bogotá, Colombia
Saint John of Nepomuk by José de Páez; New Spain, 1770
St. John Nepomuk; 1700s — National Museum of History, Chapultepec Castle

St. John Nepomuk; 1800-1900, New Spain/Mexico—Tuscon Museum of Art

Coronation of the Virgin by Juan Nepomuceno de Sáenz; c.1790, New Spain—Denver Art Museum (St. John Nepomuk is to the right with five stars circling his head)

~ ~ ~

→St. John Nepomuk is sometimes called: St. John Nepomucene (neh-POH-moo-seen).

→In New Spain, he was likely called: San Juan Nepomuceno (neh-poh-moo-seh-noh).

~ ~ ~

About the Good King Wenceslas—The Good King Wenceslas was actually the Duke Wenceslas I—also of Bohemia, and hundreds of years earlier (907–935). He later became St. Wenceslas. You can learn his story and read the lyrics to the Christmas song written in his honor here.

Mar

St. John Nepomuk — A Bohemian Saint Favored in Colonial Spain

St. John Nepomuk (neh-poh-mook) is an intriguing saint who appears in a thought-provoking number of Colonial Spain art galleries. It is curious to wonder how this Bohemian saint showed up 200-400 years later in portraits, statues, and paintings in New Spain!

A Bit of History

Conflict with the King of Bohemia

St. John Nepomuk was born in a town called Pomuk (now Nepomuk) in Bohemia (modern Czech Republic) in 1345. He later became a priest in Bohemia and was assigned to the cathedral in Prague. This 40-something year old priest ran into some trouble with the King of Bohemia, King Wenceslas IV. King Wenceslas strove to be a devout Catholic; he would even have an illuminated Bible created: The Wenceslas Bible—close to (plausibly overlapping) the time of conflict with Fr.

Feb

Why Is There A Sword In Mary?

This Juan Correa painting catches the eye of so many at the museum. One particularly Frequently Asked Question is: Why is there a sword in Mary?

The answer lies in a brief ... and parenthesized! ... partial-verse in the Bible. By turning to Luke's Gospel, when Mary and Joseph were Presenting Jesus at the Temple, Holy Simeon instantly knew that the infant Jesus was the promised Messiah; he then felt ready to go the the Lord.

Jan

"Ecce Agnus Dei" — Connecting the Old Testament to the New Testament

Ecce Agnus Dei This "Ecce Agnus Dei" (ETCH-ay AHNG-nyoos DAY) banner is a classic inclusion in windows or paintings of St. John the Baptist. Ecce Agnus Dei is Latin for: Behold the Lamb of God. John the Baptist spoke these words twice in the first chapter of John's Gospel as Jesus was approaching (vv.19, 36). Those with John the Baptist—Andrew and another (tradition suggests John, the Gospel Writer) seemed to understand this title for Jesus. Perhaps they immediately understood that John was connecting Jesus to the unblemished lambs sacrificed in Exodus 12. The cross carrying the banner foreshadows Jesus' Crucifixion later on in the Gospel. St. John the Baptist by Joseph de Figueroa; 1790—Santa Fe de Bogotá, New Granada Bandera Natural History and Art Museum How John knew that Jesus would be sacrificed like a Passover lamb, is as striking as when John—in-utero recognized Jesus—in-utero; when the not-yet-born John leapt in his mother's womb as Mary with her not-yet-born Jesus approached (Luke 1:41). A New Testament Prophet and mystic, indeed! The BookThis book in St. John the Baptist's hand likely symbolizes his knowledge of Old Testament scripture—especially the story of the ten plagues in Egypt—the tenth describing the sacrifice of unblemished lambs to save the Israelite families from the angel of death. Jesus as an Unblemished Lamb Willing to be sacrificed to take away the sins of the world.Note the face of this lamb. As "The Lamb" looks up at his cousin, John the Baptist, he seems calm, trusting, and gentle. Also consider the front bent leg of "The Lamb." It looks almost like a cross itself. The hosts at Secrets of Sacred Art helped me to brainstorm this portrayal; they reminded me that another classic Lamb of God portrayal is with a bent front leg holding a banner and/or cross. It's intriguing to consider ... did the artist decide that a second cross or banner would distract from the painting? Or did he want the bent leg to look somewhat like a cross? Or ...? A Few Lamb of God with Bent Knee Comparisons: Once I started looking, I saw these Lamb of God images everywhere! If you have a Lamb of God depiction from your church, please e-mail it to me ... I'll add it to the collection! Bandera Natural History and Art Museum St. Stanislaus Church—Bandera, TX All Saints Catholic Church—St. Peters, Missouri Photograph by Nheyob Soroksár—Budapest, Hungary Photograph by Pasztilla aka Attila Terbócs San Fernando Cathedral—San Antonio, TX Little Flower Basilica—San Antonio, TX More Detail on the St. John the Baptist painting by Joseph de Figueroa (1790): A Star in St. John the Baptist's Halo?Some resources, mostly Orthodox, call St. John the Baptist a Morning Star, symbolizing how he announced the dawning of the ministry of his cousin, Jesus. It is possible that the small white mark in the center of St. John the Baptist's halo represents this Morning Star analogy. "... the one who is coming after me ... —John 1:27 John's eyes are worth considering too. In contrast to the trusting, gentle look of The Lamb, John the Baptist's eyes are more serious. Rather than looking at "The Lamb of God," he is gazing out. His eyes seem like those of a mystic. Pondering, meditative, absorbing. Camel Skin & Red CloakThis portion of the picture shows edges of the camel hair garment worn by John the Baptist. The red cloak symbolizes how he was to be martyred—beheaded by order of Herod Antipas. Blue-ish/Gray-ish BackgroundTake a moment to ponder the background of this painting. Flemish painters often painted backdrop landscapes in blues and grays. This inclusion suggests that the Colonial Spain artist, Joseph de Figueroa, may have been exposed to Flemish artistry. Some Intriguing ScriptSome heady teamwork and pain-staking computer translating came up with the following translations: Domca. 1a. de Quarma. Inda. Plena. Day of the Lord 1st Sunday of Lent Plenary Indulgence Dominica 9a. Sabado. Indulgencia Day of the Lord (Sunday) 9th Saturday Indulgence Plena. y se saca alma del Purgatorio. And retrieves the souls from Purgatory. Dominica de Ramos. Indulga Plenara. Palm Sunday Plenary Indulgence Juebes Indulga. Plena. Sabado Inda. Plena. Thursday Plenary Indulgence Saturday Plenary Indulgence Sabado de Pasqua. Indulga. Plena. Holy Saturday Plenary Indulgence Domingo de Espiritu Sto. Inda. Plena. Sunday of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) Plenary Indulgence Joseph de Figueroa, Faciebat — He made it. Abril, ano de 1790. — April, 1790. Joseph de Figueroa's Signature A Piece of the Original Frame New Granada in Colonial SpainJoseph de Figueroa painted St. John the Baptist in Bogotá (then called Santa Fe de Bogotá) in New Granada in Colonial Spain—a city and region now primarily in the South American country of Columbia. Biblical Novena to St. John the Baptist The Feast of the Baptism of Jesus is the official close of the Christmas season in the Catholic Church. It is a moveable feast that lands on the Sunday after Epiphany; however, if Epiphany lands on January 7 or 8, then The Feast of the Baptism of Jesus is celebrated the following Monday. The Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is June 24. The Feast of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist is August 29. "Lamb" in the Bible ...

Dec

A Nudge to Make a Change

I got a persistent little nudge in my heart a month or so ago. My book cover ... it was lovely ... a beautiful salmon-colored sky with lots of textured clouds representing the "Great Cloud of Witnesses." I took the photograph myself one evening while taking a walk on our ranch. The Hill Country sky was simply staggering!

However, after seven years, a painting in my foyer started catching my attention and the prodding in my heart got stronger. And, voila! Here is my new book cover! ...

Dec

St. Francis Holding the Infant Jesus

A Treasure and a Mystery

This brilliant piece of art—by New Spain artist Cristóbal Villalpando—is both a treasure and a mystery. This story of Mary appearing to St. Francis and presenting the baby Jesus is not found in any of the original biographies of St. Francis. Yet, this theme seems to have been rather popular during the Baroque era of art (see the list below). Some assert the event was described by Irish Franciscan: Fr. Luke Wadding, O.F.M. (1588-1657).

Nov

St. Stanislaus Kostka in Colonial Spain

The New Spain Art Hall in Bandera, TX holds a vast array of religious art used by missionary priests to decorate churches and teach catechism lessons to the people of Colonial Spain. Many biblical and saint themes are there to admire and ponder. Some of the primary missionaries in Colonial Spain were Jesuits, Franciscans, and Dominicans.

The Jesuit influence likely explains the inclusion of the Polish saint, St. Stanislaus Kostka, for he is a Jesuit whose story inspires multitudes.

St.

Oct

The Jesuits & the Sacred Heart of Jesus

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was known for her visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—a reminder of Jesus' deep, profound, and burning love for all humankind.

Sacred Hearts With IHS Inscriptions?

In the Colonial Spain art depiction of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque above, you might notice that the Sacred Heart she is holding has the classic Jesuit emblem of the IHS Christogram inscribed within.

Sep

The Life of St. Vincent de Paul ~ Through Stained Glass Windows ~ at the Chapelle Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in Paris

My husband and I spent an amazing month in France last September/October. Because Chad is a St. Vincent de Paul Society member at our church, we decided to visit the Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris. We both looked forward to getting to know this great saint better through the visit ... and through the stained glass windows illustrating highlights of his life. The windows in the chapel are displayed below.

Aug

Why Is Mary Wearing A Crown?

I enjoy giving "tours" (often just walking around with people discussing things 😇) at my beautiful parish, and at our stunning local art museum. One question that pops up now and then is:

Why is Mary wearing a crown?

The answer is fairly simple! If you scan through 1 & 2 Kings, you'll notice that it is the mothers of the Kings of Judah who are typically named within the introduction of each king (see the chart below).

Jul

St. Anne & St. Joachim & The Mysterious Fig

It's tricky for many to determine what this piece of vegetation is. It's only a small part of the full painting, but it's quite noticeable. Surely there must be some sort of significance! Pear and fig seem to be the two most popular suggestions. After a bit of processing and studying, I've decided that I'm on "Team Fig."

A fairly basic study of pears shows that they don't stand up on end very easily, and their leaves tend to have pointy tips.