St. Vincent Martyr

St. Vincent Martyr Church is in Madison, New Jersey, a town known as the Rose City. In 2017 the parish embarked on an ambitious renovation including reconfiguration of the liturgical furnishings (reinstating an architecturally sympathetic altar in the sanctuary, previously located in the crossing), introducing improved handicapped access, updating lighting, and a beautiful new liturgical artistry program.

EverGreene designed and created a custom diaper pattern for the sanctuary wall featuring a monogram for St. Vincent Martyr; the raven, an attribute of St. Vincent; the palm symbolizing martyrdom; and a rose (symbolizing the city of Madison and Our Lady) encircled by the crown of thorns, an instrument of Christ’s Martyrdom. This pattern was created on canvas with the scale and terminations carefully calibrated to the specific architecture of St. Vincent Martyr.

The sanctuary wall pattern was adapted for the Lady chapel. The pattern itself and rose in crown of thorns symbol was retained but customized to suit the purposes of a small devotional area. The scale was reduced; colors shifted from burnt orange and umber the color shifted from umber and ocrhe to blue and gray, Pope John Paul II’s Marian Monagram replaced St. Vincent’s, a dove in place of St. Vincent’s raven, and the morning star in place of the palm. The result is rich in symbolism and architecturally appropriate.