Among the works preserved in the Rohn & Associates archives is a remarkable pencil drawing by the late Rudolph N. Rohn, an esteemed liturgical artist whose work helped shape the visual life of Catholic churches throughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. Created as the study for a monumental Catholic church mural, it places Christ at the center with God the Father above Him, with the Holy Spirit completing the Trinity. The figures are rendered with distinctive Byzantine-style cross-shaped halos. Six scenes unfold around them, tracing important developments in the life of the Church. The words “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic” complete the design, giving the entire work a distinctly Catholic identity.
What makes Rudolph’s work so compelling is the way he takes an immense subject and makes it personal. Church history is filled with controversies and divisions that can be difficult to imagine centuries later. His skill was in bringing those events to life through people and places that feel present: Church leaders confronting serious questions, Christians seeking reunion, and faces and actions that communicate the importance of what is happening. This is where liturgical art can serve the life of a parish, giving sacred subjects a visible and memorable form.
The first scene takes us to the Council of Nicaea in 325, where bishops came together to defend the divinity of Christ against Arius, a priest who taught that Jesus was not truly God. Convened under the Roman Emperor Constantine, Rudolph’s depiction places the gathered bishops within the formal surroundings of the assembly, emphasizing its scale and the seriousness of the debate. He captures the nature of the proceedings through the bishops’ expressions and other visual elements, connecting this ancient defense of the Faith to the Creed Catholics still profess at Mass.
In 1054, the growing separation between the Christian East and West became a lasting rupture between Rome and Constantinople. Centuries of differences in theology, Church authority, culture, politics, and liturgical practice had contributed to the growing divide. The setting evokes the world of the medieval Christian East, where the Byzantine Church and its clergy followed traditions distinct from those of Rome. The figures, architecture, and clothing give this painful chapter a human dimension, making visible the people and traditions behind this widening rift.
At the Council of Florence in 1438–1439, representatives of East and West gathered in an attempt to restore communion. Among those involved were Pope Eugene IV and Byzantine Emperor John VIII Palaiologos, who traveled west with a large Eastern delegation seeking agreement with Rome. Their interaction and expressions convey the significance of the gathering, showing Christians from different traditions coming together after centuries of separation.
The next scenes depict Pope John XXIII at the Second Vatican Council in 1962, followed by Pope Paul VI’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land and prayer at Gethsemane. The ancient olive trees and Church of All Nations identify Gethsemane, placing Paul VI at the very site where Christ prayed before His Passion. Rudolph distinguishes these modern scenes through their people, architecture, and period details, continuing the visual story of the Church’s desire for reconciliation among Christians.
The final event recalls Pope Paul VI’s historic encounter with Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I in Jerusalem in 1965. Their meeting and the removal of the mutual excommunications of 1054 from the memory of the Church marked an important step toward reconciliation between Catholics and Orthodox Christians. Their realistic portrayal and gestures toward one another give this important moment in the journey toward Christian unity a vivid presence.
This cherished vision represents a tradition Rohn Design continues to carry forward in its work for Catholic churches today. Our artists bring that same sense of purpose and connection into the sacred art they create, giving parishioners images that help them recognize the people, events, and traditions that have shaped the Church. This careful approach allows a parish to commission imagery rooted in its own story, creating artwork that reflects its Catholic life and remains meaningful to generations of worshippers. For churches considering custom church murals or a broader liturgical art program, Rudolph’s work offers a powerful example of how art can make the history of the Church tangible to the people who worship within it.
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