When Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Copiague, New York, suffered a devastating fire, the parish faced the difficult task of rebuilding not only its structure but also the beauty and spirit that had long defined its worship. Under the leadership of Father Darius Koszyk, and within the Diocese of Rockville Centre, the parish embarked on a comprehensive sacred art and liturgical design program that began with careful sacred space planning, lighting, custom window framing, and a unified color scheme, expressed through Marian murals and the Stations of the Cross. Liturgical Designer Rolf Rohn of Rohn & Associates Design guided the vision, bringing it to life with his expertise.
Among these elements, the six plaster statues of adoring angels that now flank the sanctuary were carefully restored, their renewed features adding a sense of the sacred to the space. As the parish began rebuilding, Father Darius located these historic sculptures in the diocesan warehouse, where they had been stored for years. He entrusted their care to three of Rohn’s extraordinary Catholic artists specializing in sacred art restoration, each with decades of experience, who worked on site for a month until the restoration was complete. The statues’ original appearance reflected their age: flat pastel gowns, wings lacking dimension, and faces rendered in uniform tones.
The artists vividly realized these messengers in oil paint and exquisite detail. Their robes were finished in a luminous white, with gentle shadows sculpted into folds that suggest movement. Golden capes drape the figures, catching the light and adding warmth to the interior. Their wings, once flat, were enhanced with delicate feathering and subtle shadows, giving them an ethereal, heavenly quality. Faces were rendered in natural skin tones, and hair in rich brown, giving the forms depth and a lifelike appearance. Each statue carries a banner inscribed in gold with the word “Sanctus,” Latin for “holy,” echoing the eternal hymn of the heavenly host and the acclamation at every Mass.
These angels fill the former auditorium, now transformed into a beautiful sacred space, with a hope that lifts the faithful. Placed between the Stations of the Cross, their presence in a church rebuilt from the ashes is a visible reminder of devotion and continuity of faith. Their graceful forms, intricate wings, and radiant banners convey both the beauty of creation and the majesty of the divine, inviting parishioners to pause, reflect, and join in the celestial chorus of the sacred. We are grateful to have served as instruments in this remarkable journey, helping preserve and celebrate the parish's enduring legacy.
