2025 LUMEN DE LUMINE – LA MILAGROSA ALTARPIECE
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Lumen de lumine is the Latin expression used in the Creed to refer to God.
Today, in the third millennium, our proposal is to erect an altarpiece in a church in the center of Madrid. The church in question, the Basilica Church of the Virgen Milagrosa on García de Paredes street, which was built and restored, lacked a main altarpiece:.
And, of course, we decided that the center of the altarpiece should be the tabernacle, with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament really present there. And how could this tabernacle be other than suspended in the air, in the center of a cloud of light? Lumen de lumine, light of light.
When I received this commission, a gift from the wonderful Vincentian Fathers at the end of 2023, I had a moment of simple inspiration that guided me from the outset to the solution we are proposing today.
As soon as we enter the nave, in the center of the altarpiece wall, exactly at eye level, this LUMEN DE LUMINE can attract us with such force that from that initial moment it leads us to prayer, to dialogue with the Blessed Sacrament, who is present there, surrounded by a marvelous light.
We opened a square hole in the center, high up in the brick wall of the apse, allowing for as much natural light as possible. In order to collect this natural light, we built a cube of translucent white glass measuring 1.20 x 1.20 x 1.20 m, a large part of which is outside, thus receiving natural light. To maximize this light when required, we used LED technology which, after extensive testing with models, has provided us with truly marvelous results. We used laser beams for leveling and we connected the translucent glasses that make up the cube, to ultraviolet rays.
And at the center of this cubic cloud of light is the golden tabernacle, for the first time in the history of the Liturgy of the Catholic Church, suspended in the air, levitating. Such a logical solution that it seems incredible that it has not been done before now.
And nothing else. To facilitate access to this high tabernacle, without losing the simplicity of the route through the apse, was an easy solution. We built six steps up to the top, the light.
We believe that our enthusiasm is in keeping with the beauty of the solution we proposed, designed and built. Beauty placed in the service of the Lord.
