The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, Notre Dame Seminary

New Orleans, Louisiana 

The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception holds a special place in the hearts of those in this growing seminary community. It is not only a place of worship, but also a sanctuary where seminarians find solace, guidance, and strength as they prepare for their sacred calling. To enhance the beauty of the Chapel and reflect the foundation and values that are integral to the formation of our future priests, meaningful decoration was added in anticipation of the Seminary’s centennial. With initial planning underway in 2019, the project was completed at the end of 2024.

New designs were prepared for extensive interior painting in addition to sanctuary furnishings. Decorative additions within the nave and sanctuary included twelve different colors, two custom gold paint variations, and 23 kt gold leaf accents. The decoration included six large ceiling murals and seventeen medallions featuring saints and scenes significant to the Seminary community.

Before Interior Decoration and Murals 

The nave ceiling murals depict events from the life of Mary, with the Pietà scene based on an 1876 painting by French artist, William-Adolphe Bouguereau. This stability and balance reiterated in Mary’s triangular pose, alongside the careful symmetry of the surrounding mural borders, emphasize traditions of a classical past, creating a harmonious space with ideal proportions. Each ceiling mural is framed by a circle and square through a quatrefoil motif, reflecting the unity between heaven and earth. Scallop shells flank either side of these borders to reiterate the Sacrament of Baptism, connecting to the existing Holy Spirit medallion where the nave and sanctuary meet. A brick diaper pattern, arranged in a herringbone fashion, branches off from these central murals, leading to the seventeen portrait medallions depicting saints within the nave and sanctuary.

At the base of these patterns, complex trompe l’oeil ornamentation further showcases the intricacies of in-house stencil design. Simplified fleur-de-lis symbols recall the foliage around the apse walls of the sanctuary. The gold patterning of these symbolic flowers on a blue-colored background references stars in the night sky. Thoughtful patterns and arrangements break up the thick, vaulted interior of this space, creating the illusion of reliefs and recessions.

Sanctuary furnishings additionally echo the patterned order of the interior space. The design for the Altar of Sacrifice referenced the existing High Altar design. With thoughtful input from the Seminary leadership, a pelican served as the central image to reinforce the Sacrament of the Eucharist while also referencing the state bird of Louisiana.

The completed designs for Notre Dame Seminary established a meaningful connection to place, while providing visual and tangible means to aid seminarians in their devotion.