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The
twelve
bronze
Dedication
Candle
Holders
in
the
nave
of
the
Cathedral
of
Our
Lady
of
the
Angels
were
designed
and
fabricated
by
sculptor
Max
DeMoss.
Each
candle
holder
is
buttressed
on
the
walls
by
a
magnificent
bronze
and
silver
angel.
They
biblically
refer
to
the
twelve
tribes
of
Israel
and
to
the
twelve
Apostles.
|
A
Cathedral
tradition
in
the
Catholic
Church,
the
candles
are
lighted
for
the
first
time
during
the
liturgy
of
the
Dedication
of
the
Cathedral
and
on
each
anniversary
thereafter.
They
also
are
lighted
on
the
anniversary
of
Rome's
Cathedral
of
St.
John
Lateran,
which
is
the
Pope's
Cathedral
and
where
he
speaks
"ex
cathedra."
In
order
to
contrast
with
and
complement
the
angular
and
linear
architecture,
DeMoss
designed
the
angel
candle
holders
to
convey
organic,
human,
whimsical
qualities.
Each
angel
has
unique
characteristics
and
gestures.
DeMoss'
inspiration
for
each
angel
came
from
informal
interviews
about
angels
with
twelve
people
of
significance
in
his
life,
including
family
members,
friends
and
neighbors.
During
each
hour-long
conversation,
DeMoss
listened
to
their
thoughts
about
angels
and
watched
their
general
gestures
as
they
spoke.
"At
one
point
it
would
just
click,"
DeMoss
remembers.
Within
forty-eight
hours,
"I
created
a
figure
in
the
gesture
inspired
by
the
interview."
The
angels
do
not
look
like
the
people,
"but
the
gestures
and
personalities
are
definitely
the
gestures
and
personalities
of
the
people
that
I
interviewed."
DeMoss
also
consulted
his
four
grandsons,
ages
4-8,
before
designing
the
angels.
Their
ideas
are
incorporated:
the
angel's
toes
are
pointing
down
as
if
in
flight,
their
hair
is
flowing,
and
they
glow.
Their
arms
reach
out
to
the
viewer.
The
artist
wanted
the
"angels'
gestures
to
be
welcoming,
to
greet
the
viewer."
As
people
enter
the
nave
they
see
one
angel,
another,
and
another,
until
there
is
an
"'Aha!,'
or
sudden
awareness
that
there
are
more
angels
propelling
them
onward
through
the
Cathedral."
DeMoss
would
like
for
people
to
see
the
angels
"as
beings
of
light
and
not
birds
or
butterflies."
For
him,
the
reason
for
the
wings
is
to
reflect
light
because
he
does
not
believe
"angels
would
need
wings
to
fly."
Learn
more
about
the
ARTIST.
