Frescoes Find Home at Merrimack

Painted in the apse of Sant Agostino Church in the medieval town of San Gimignano, Tuscany, with its tall towers and impenetrable walls, are original frescoes portraying the “Scenes from the Life Cycle of St. Augustine.” Viewed by visitors from around the globe, the frescoes, by Benozzo Gozzoli, were painted between 1462 – 1465. 

With San Gimignano being such a critical part of the Pellegrinaggio experience (an annual spiritual journey to Italy), Rev. James Wenzel, O.S.A., director of the Center for Augustinian Study and Legacy, felt it was important to bring that experience to people at Merrimack College. To that end, prints of the Gozzoli Frescoes now hang in the Sakowich Campus Center on the second floor for all to see.

The 17 Gozzoli Frescoes are the portrayal of the story of St. Augustine as the artist estimated as the highlights of Augustine’s life and his ultimate conversion.

“In my ministry, I see that displaying pictures of a world-renowned work of art is one more way to highlight Merrimack as a Roman Catholic college in the Augustinian tradition,” said Fr. Jim.

Beginning four years ago, some memorabilia from each Pellegrinaggio have been brought back to Merrimack.  Pictures of Our Mother of Good Counsel and Blessed Stephen Bellesini (both hanging in Our Mother of Good Counsel Chapel in Austin Hall) were brought back from Genezzano, Italy; the framed photos of Pellegrinaggio IX taken by photographer Kevin Salemme, director of the Merrimack College Media Center, hang on the 2nd floor of the Sakowich Campus Center; and the Pellegrinaggio Quilt from Pellegrinaggio X, created by three pilgrims, Judith Hillner ’58, Katie Gregoire ’11, and Jonathan Ravenelle ’11, hangs in McQuade Library.   

PHOTO  CAPTION: Rev. James Wenzel, O.S.A. and Kevin Salemme, director of media services, stand in front of the 17 Gozzoli frescoes on permanent display in the Sakowich Campus Center.