By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
A 19th century painting that depicts the crucifixion of Christ has been restored and returned to the historic St. Joseph Catholic Church in Sea Isle City after a nearly 60-year absence.
Parishioners who belong to a preservation group that has been renovating the 139-year-old church hung the large painting on the wall on Dec. 30 while celebrating its return.
Mike Boyle, a trustee of Save Our Historic St. Joseph’s Church, said a dedication ceremony may be held for the painting on Good Friday, the day Catholics commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus.
Boyle noted that Father Perry Cherubini, St. Joseph’s pastor, has been discussing the possibility of formally dedicating the painting at that time.
The painting was done in 1890 by the Italian artist Luca Sacco. Decades ago, it served as a centerpiece of the historic church while hanging on the wall above the altar.
When St. Joseph’s altar was removed around 1966 or 1967 to conform with changes ordered by the Vatican for how church services were conducted worldwide, the painting was removed and nearly ended up in the trash heap, Boyle said.
Frances Steelman recalled that her father, Frank Romano, a parishioner at St. Joseph’s, rescued the painting after he was told that it would be thrown out. He took it home and hung it on the wall on the second floor of his house at 122 42nd Street in Sea Isle.
“The painting was so inspiring to them. It meant so much to them,” Steelman said of her father and her mother, Amelia Romano.
After her parents died and their house was demolished, Steelman took possession of the painting and placed it in climate-controlled storage. She donated the painting in 2022 to the Save Our Historic St. Joseph’s Church preservation group.
However, the painting was damaged and needed restoration to return it to its original splendor. Another church member, Vincent L. Lamanna Jr., paid thousands of dollars to have the painting restored in memory of his late parents, Albina and Vincent Lamanna Sr., Boyle said.
A plaque has been erected in honor of the Lamannas, the Romanos and Steelman to recognize their roles in the painting’s return. Boyle said it has been about 56 years since the painting was last displayed in the church.
“The colors are so much more vivid now,” Steelman said of the restoration work.
Boyle does not know who originally commissioned the painting in 1890 by the Italian artist Luca Sacco. Sacco’s name is clearly inscribed at the bottom of the painting.
Sacco, who died in 1912, specialized in portrait, historical and religious paintings, according to a brief biography of him posted online. Some of his artwork has been sold by the international auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s.
His painting of Christ’s crucifixion now hangs to the left of the altar in the historic church. The old church is located at the corner of 44th Street and Landis Avenue and stands side-by-side with the modern $7 million St. Joseph Catholic Church that opened in December 2011. The new church includes a 1,300-seat sanctuary that serves as the main worship hall for the congregation.
For more than two years, members of the Save Our Historic St. Joseph’s Church group fought to reopen the historic sanctuary and revive it as a place for worship, weddings, funerals and baptisms.
Fearing that the church would be demolished, the preservationists launched a fundraising and social media campaign to rally community support, including the placement of “Save Our Historic St. Joseph’s Church” lawn signs at homes and businesses throughout town.
There is no longer a threat that the historic building will be demolished, paving the way for its renovation. The church was built in 1884.
Topped by a soaring white steeple, the Gothic-style building has been a religious, historic and cultural landmark in Sea Isle for nearly as long as the community’s founding in 1882 by visionary real estate developer Charles K. Landis.
Efforts to preserve and renovate the building have been part of a communitywide campaign. Boyle said about $180,000 in private donations have helped to finance the renovations.
In addition to direct donations, Boyle estimated that local contractors have performed hundreds of thousands of dollars in work on the church at their own cost. Altogether, the cash and contractor donations amount to about $500,000, he said.
“We encourage more,” he said of the donations.
Painting, plumbing, heating, electrical and roof improvements are all part of renovations for the building’s exterior and interior. Much of the work was done by local contractors who donated their work and materials. One local contractor, Ed Pearce, of Painting by Pearce, meticulously repainted the white building at no cost.
The next major phase of the church renovations will be the installation of a new air-conditioning system this year, Boyle said.
