Description
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos and his ministry
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos (1819-1867) was a Bavarian-born Redemptorist priest who served in the United States. Ordained in Baltimore in 1844, he worked with John Neumann in Pittsburgh and later preached parish missions. His ministry included hearing confessions, teaching the faith and caring for immigrants. He died of yellow fever in New Orleans after ministering to those affected by the epidemic.
The image shows Seelos facing the viewer in a black cassock, wearing glasses and holding a crucifix close to his chest. A halo and the inscription identify the subject as Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos. The crucifix connects the portrait with his Redemptorist vocation and preaching centered on Christ the Redeemer.
Made in Poland on linden wood
Art Christiana makes this icon to order on a linden-wood board with two coats of primer. The image is printed directly onto the prepared surface and finished with decorative gold-tone metal leaf (schlagmetal). A certificate bearing the production year and a hanging fixture are attached to the back.
The icon can be placed in a home prayer space or used to recall Seelos's service as a confessor and missionary. It can accompany intercessory prayer for the sick without suggesting that possession of an image produces healing.