Symbols & Architecture
Indoor
Symbols and architecture in the Bible convey profound spiritual truths, enriching believers’ understanding of faith and redemption. They provide a visual language for connecting with God’s plan and deepening spiritual experience.
The most ancient text in the Bible is the building, furnishing, and dedicating the Temple of Jerusalem in I Kings 6-7. Church architecture uses this text as the ultimate reference point. Its features include the entrance, the rooms, the greenery, the tabernacle’s Holy of Holies, the use of cedar and gold, the presence of water, the cherubim and seraphim statuary. The ark of the covenant held a tablet of the Covenant, the staff of the patriarchs, and vessel preserving the manna in the desert.
Statue of Mary
The first church on the corner of Welker and 3rd was dedicated as a Catholic church Our Statue of Mary shows her as Our Lady of Mercy, holding her Son, whom she is giving to us. Our statue is olive wood from Bethlehem, Israel, and handcarved there by Bethlehem Arts. Our statue was dedicated by the McDaniel and Richardson families.
The Walls of the Heavenly City of Jerusalem
The reredos originated in the symbolism of the high walls of the heavenly city of Jerusalem as described in the Book of Revelations. This represents for the Christian Journey through from Baptism, during the sea crossing journey with Christ, from the Eucharistic banquet, and the cross of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, that the Christian disciples will attain heaven.
The Ambry
The ambry is a sacred chest in which the holy oils used by the Church for the sacraments are stored in a public place. The holy oils are blessed by the bishop of a diocese at the annual Chrism Mass, usually Tuesday of Holy Week, during which the clergy of the diocese renew their priestly vows. The oils are Sacred Chrism (SC), Oil of the Infirm (OI), and Oil of Catechu-mens (OC). The vessels are crystal.
The Relics
Our relics are placed on specially designed shelves in a cabinet on the priest’s side of the altar. They are to be displayed for the devotion of the parish on their special feast days.
- St. Josephine Bakhita
- St. Gaspar Del Bufalo
- The Holy Cross
The Reredos
The reredos marble was quarried from the Carrara mines in Italy in the late 1870s and carved there. In 1881 it was installed in Most Blessed Sacrament Parish in Philadelphia PA. When the parish was closed and torn down, Guardian Angels purchased it, shipped it here for storage at Butch and Karen Sekich’s shed for 18 months, before it was installed by the team of Danny Vancica of Alpha Tile from Atlanta GA. It is about fifteen tons of marble, 22’ high, 17’ wide across the whole front, and about 6 feet deep, not counting the stairs. Each of the trumpeting angels are about five feet high; they wear a star on their diadems, like the bronze angel at the Meditation Park. Each is slightly different from the other. The overall style of the reredos is Romanesque, noted for its rounded arches, unlike the pointed arches of Gothic. The reredos was a way for artists to represent our approach to the walls of the heavenly city of Jerusalem through the sacraments of the Church. Often the reredos provides a setting for flowers, plants, and candles, very much in tune with the description of the interior of the Temple of Jerusalem. Typically, the arches behind the shelves held the statues or icons of various saints chosen for particular devotion by the parish.
The Cross
The olive wood corpus on the cross helps us to follow Jesus from the Eucharistic table of the Last Supper to the Crucifixion, where he sacrificed himself for us. We lift up our eyes to see beyond the cross to the resurrection and eternal life in heaven. The cross itself was crafted and hung by Jeremiah Crane of our parish.
The Altar Marble
Our marble altar comes from the quarry in Marble, CO and is consecrated by Archbishop Aquila. This beautiful white stone complements the marble reredos.
The Sanctuary
The Ambo
Ambo is the technical word for pulpit, and we should prefer to use this word, because it specifically designates the location for the Word and God and the homily. Its arches complement the reredos arches.
The Tabernacle Lamp
This was rescued by Fr. Robert Whipkey and restored. This flame reminds us of the constant presence of Christ in the Eucharist in the Tabernacle.
The Nave
The nave represents the ship crossing the Sea of Galilee with Jesus. In other words, even the storms of life, God will bring us safely through to the other side, the shores of heaven. Nave comes from the Latin word for ship, “navus”, which became our English word “navy”.
The Baptismal Font
Once we enter the sacred space, at the door, we find the baptismal font, for this is where we were first washed of sin, died with Christ, and so became a child of God. Baptism is the first of the sacraments, and so is naturally at the door. The rest of the nave and sanctuary architecture is all about the life of the Christian at prayer and worship of God.
The Music Area
The music platform is in the back of the nave. The piano and choir provide support for the singing of the congregation. Our grand piano is a Young Chang. It was paid for by the commemoration of the 88 keys by the parishioners. The memorial keyboard that recognizes the donors for the beautiful grand piano is displayed on the wall in the choir area.
The Pews
Along with the other woodwork throughout the new Parish Center, we have chosen American red oak for its hardwood strength and beauty of the grain. Sauder Company designed, crafted, and installed all our nave and sanctuary furniture.
The Handicapped Access
To the left of the sanctuary, we have a handicapped ramp. Furthermore, at the back, middle, and front of the pews, there are three cutouts for wheelchairs so that our guests have three choices from which to attend services.
The Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross, created out of olive wood from Bethlehem, Israel, by Bethlehem Arts were commemorated by various families in the parish; these names will be on the Memorial Plaque in the main hallway.
Sacred Heart of Jesus
This statue is Carrara marble that was installed in Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Philadelphia, PA with our reredos. It is about 140 years old. Sacred Heart devotions began in the early 1200s led by St. Gertrude the Great of Helfta, Germany; this statue needs someone to commemorate it.
Our Lady of the Czestochowa
Our Lady of Czestochowa is a very ancient icon at Jasna Gora Monastery in Poland. Our painting was hand painted there and given to our parish by Maria Remzik. The frame was provided by Joseph Sikorsky. She is presented as our Lady of Mercy, her eyes looking out to us and inviting to her Son, whom she is loving holding with her hands.
St. Josephine Bakhita
This icon commemorates St. Josephine Bakhita. Her attributes include the chains of her slavery as a little girl in the Sudan, Africa. She is shown with an emblem of the Sisters of Charity of Verona, Italy. Her open hands are gestures of welcome and hospitality. Her relics are in our main altar.
The Angel Icons
Over the last ten years people have brought angel icons from all over the world, and dedicated to the memory of a relative who died. People are welcome to continue to add to this wall.
The Confessional
Another important part of the Christian journey is the experience of God’s forgiveness and mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The confessional is currently located in the conference room, where you may go to confession face to face or behind a screen anonymously.
Commemoration Plaque
This sign reminds us of all the people commemorated by donors for various fixtures and furnishings for our new Parish Center.
Outdoor
Old Guardian Angels Church
The first church on the corner of Welker and 3rd was dedicated as a Catholic church on January 1, 1911. During the 1930s it was added on to toward the west to include a sanctuary and sacristy room. We will be keeping this building because of its history, its land mark stature in Mead, and the many sacraments which have made it a holy place. In the future the parish may use it aa prayer chapel for Eucharistic devotion and other uses. We will continue to maintain and restore it.
The Catechetical Center (CC Center)
The Catechetical Center (CC Center) used to be the old Parish Hall and was built sometime in the early 1960s. It has served as a dining hall, sometime worship space, and education classrooms. This building will remain until phase II of our campus construction is complete, and four new classrooms are added on to the Parish Center building.
The Meditation Park
On the corner of WCR 34 and 7, Guardian Angels is creating a Meditation Park for everyone to use. The Town of Mead walking and biking trails come together at this busiest intersection town. With the addition of a bench around the central alder tree, this will be a fine resting area for joggers, walkers, and bikers.
Landscaping the Meditation Park is a gift of the Knights of Columbus Our Lady of the Angles Council 54576. The parish hopes that this park will be enjoyed by everyone in Mead.
Guardian Angel Bronze
Commissioned by Guardian Angels Parish with funding from the Children’s Offertory for the last eight years and the generous donation of the Warren Family, this fourteen foot bronze was created by Rocky Mountain Bronze Studio in Loveland, CO, by the owner and artist Carey Hosterman and his wife Amy. The angel is portrayed as if just alighting from a cloud onto the earth. The star on the diadem matches the stars on the angels of the reredos inside. The staff is the cross, and the round Greek shield represents the protective qualities of a guardian angel. On the shield, the Greek letters say, “Jesus Christ conquers!” The face was posed by one of the little girls of the parish.
Spring
This statue is a gift of Charlee and Rick Warren and Cathy and Jerry Rupp originally cast by Charlee and Cathy’s mother, Thelma Weresh, who was a founding member of the Loveland bronze community. The name of the statue is Spring. She is carrying a basket of flowers in one hand and strewing flowers from her basket with the other hand. She is poised looking up to the angel to suggest the relationship of awe and wonder a child would know if she saw her own guardian angel.
Landscaping Park
Landscaping for the Meditation Park is a gift of the Knights of Columbus Our Lady of the Angels Council 54576. The parish hopes that this park is enjoyed by everyone in Mead.
Bent Axis Entry
Religious buildings throughout the ancient world including the Temple of Jerusalem were designed so that the very architecture of the building took hold of the approaching worshipper, and began to conform the movement of the person to the building, and by extension to the God within. From the moment of entry, the person must turn their whole body, and the person is re-aligned with the building itself. Spiritually this means we conform ourselves to Christ and His will for us.
Dedication Plaque
This sign reminds us of all the people commemorated by donors for various fixtures and furnishings for our new Parish Center.
