With the recent passing of Pope Francis, memories and tributes are pouring in.
Philadelphia has a connection with the Pope after a visit to the city in 2015.
That visit has since been memorialized with a huge mural, write Tracy Davidson and Emily Rose Grassi for NBC 10 Philadelphia.
The mural, called The Sacred Now: Faith and Family in the 21st Century, sits on the side of St. Malachy Catholic School in North Philadelphia.
According to Mural Arts Philadelphia executive director Jane Golden, the organization created the mural in collaborate with the World Meeting of Families.
“This is a message about love. It’s a message of hope. It’s message about how the Pope really transcended the barriers and borders and divisions that are set up in our society,” Golden said.
Cesar Viveros, a notable Philly-based artist originally from Mexico, was chosen as the lead muralist.
The mural is 4,238 square feet and is made of 153 individual panels painted by diverse people from parishes all across the city. Some who came to the city for the Pope’s visit also contributed.
The last of the panels was presented to Pope Francis during his visit for him to sign.
Read more about the late Pope Francis and the mural memorializing his local visit a decade ago at NBC10 Philadelphia.
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