Authored by Stephanie Fortino Gonzalez

Mary, Seat of Wisdom statue in the St. Thomas More Church, St John’s University Campus

Positioned towards the front of St. Thomas More Church on the St. John’s University campus, a bronze statue of a seated Mary quietly gazes down at the scripture on her lap. The Seat of Wisdom statue, a rare image depicting Mary in the late stages of her life, may seem like a peculiar choice for a youthful college campus. Yet, for the designers of the church, she was the only choice for this space.

Early Christians regarded Christ as Wisdom Incarnate, meaning the Word of God embodied in human form. As the Mother of God, “Mary will forever remain the person through whom the Word was born into the world” (Bayer 1962). Often depicted with baby Jesus seated on her lap, Mary can literally be deemed as the “seat” of Wisdom. A more devotional understanding of the name “refers to the fact that Mary held wisdom inside her by carrying Christ in her womb.” (Moyer 2010)

At the time of Jesus’s death, it is estimated that Mary would have been in her mid-forties. An elderly age for the time; her contemporaries would have viewed her as a respected “fountain of wisdom and a focus for family relationships.” (Mueller 1998.) The void of lost motherhood after her son’s death is filled as she transforms to the matriarch of the entire Church community. “Jesus ascends, but Mary remains to nurture and care for these disciples as she had for Jesus” by serving as a source of wisdom and guidance for those who seek her counsel. (Mueller 1998.)

In the church’s early design stages, it was already envisioned that the space would display a unique character that would represent the values of the school’s Vincentian tradition. According to Dr. Julia Upton, distinguished professor of theology and chair of the liaison committee during construction, “every piece of art in the church is original and created especially for St. Thomas More.” (Stjohns.edu 2009) For her, no version of Mary was more unique than that of Seat of Wisdom.

Dr. Upton and her committee insisted that the sculptor, David Wanner, include more wrinkles on Mary’s face to represent sagacity that is equated with old age. (Dr. Julia Upton, pers. comm) They were adamant that the statue represent a grandmotherly figure for students to seek guidance as they navigate through their tough college years. Positioned at eye-level, students can relate to the human side of Mary, whose wrinkles represent the wisdom gained from the immense responsibility of accepting to be the mother of God. Yet even in her wise old age, Mary continues to look towards the Scripture resting in her lap; thus exemplifying to the youthful campus community that they can always find wisdom and guidance in the Word of God.

In Scripture, wisdom is often described as not just acquiring knowledge, but also using that knowledge to build and contribute to the world. (Bouyer 1962) The Vincentian tradition of the University encourages students to use their education towards building a life of purpose and service. (Durkin 2004) There is no better representation of this core value than Mary, Seat of Wisdom who “pondered the words [of Jesus], kept them close to her heart, and acted on them” by dedicating her entire life to God. (Mueller 1998)

References:

Bouyer, Louis. 1962. Seat of Wisdom. Translated by Fr. A. V. Littledale. New York: Pantheon Books.

Dr. Julia Upton, personal communication, March 7, 2016.

Durkin, Mary-Cabrini. 2004. St. Thomas More Church. Strasbourg, France: Editions du Signe.

Moyer, Ginny Kubitz. “What Does the Title Mary, Seat of Wisdom Mean?” Busted Halo by the Paulist Fathers. Last modified March 1, 2010. http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/what-does-the-title-mary-seat-of-wisdom-mean

Mueller, Steve. 1998. “Mary at 45: A Model of Mature Wisdom,” St. Anthony Messenger 106: 12-15. Accessed on March 1, 2016. http://jerome.stjohns.edu:81/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/222636131?accountid=14068

Stjohns.edu. 2009. “St. Thomas More Church: Serving the University Community for Five Faith-Filled Years.” Jamaica. University Archive Ready Reference. St. John’s University.