Scottish Catholic Observer

A much acclaimed and highly significant painting, owned by Our Lady and St Bride’s Church, Cowdenbeath, now has pride of place amongst some of the finest national and international artworks in the world.

Antiveduto Grammatica’s Christ Disputing with the Doctors in the Temple is on loan from St Andrews and Edinburgh Archdiocese to the National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien recently visiting the Cowdenbeath parish, where he was curate for five years, to present them with a separate copy of the painting.

Mystery find

Grammatica’s painting has been at Our Lady and St Bride’s for a number of years but it remains unclear as to how it came into the possession of the parish.

We went to see the paining recently at the galleries and it looks excellent in a proper setting.

Canon Philip Doherty, who has been parish priest at Our Lady and St Bride’s for 25 years, spoke of the significance the painting has within the parish.

“The painting has been in the parish for many decades but we are still unsure as to how it ended up here,” Canon Doherty said. “I spoke with Cardinal O’Brien a few months ago and we decided it would be good to offer the painting for loan.We went to see the paining recently at the galleries and it looks excellent in a proper setting.

“For the painting to be at the National Galleries means it must be something special.”

In Grammatica’s depiction the 12-year-old Christ is shown debating with learned Jewish elders in the temple at Jerusalem.

The painting was commissioned around 1613 by the Roman nobleman Ciriaco Mattei, and formed part of a series of scenes from the life of Christ that included Caravaggio’s Taking of Christ.

Homecoming

Cardinal O’Brien, ahead of his silver jubilee celebrations as an archbishop, visited the parish where he was a former curate on Sunday, celebrating Mass and presenting the church with its own copy of the painting. Parishioners of Our Lady and St Bride’s have also received a postcard with a copy of the painting on it.

“As a former curate, the cardinal has a special bond with the parish and he was delighted to celebrate with us,” Canon Doherty said.

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—Pic: Paul McSherry