On the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the proclamation of St. Camillus as the patron saint of military health care, the inauguration took place at the ‘Salus Infirmorum’ Church of the ‘Celio’ Military Polyclinic of a work by Maestro Silvia Polizzi, an artist and theologian, the founder of the ‘Arte Logos’ artistic-spiritual movement. The work was blessed by Msgr. Santo Marcianò during the celebration that he presided over on 27 March at 11.00

The work has a clear liturgical meaning and it was the artist herself who explained it, providing an interesting theological-spiritual reading of the work itself.

 ‘St. Camillus the Patron Saint of Military Health Care’: a Work for Peace

On the occasion of this important event I was entrusted by Major General Mario Alberto Germani, the director of the Military Polyclinic of Rome, with producing a commemorative pictorial work for the SalusInfirmorumChurch.

I thus conceived of a new iconographic work – ‘St. Camillus de Lellis Patron Saint of Military Health Care’ – which portrays St. Camillus and a military health-care worker coming to the aid of a wounded soldier. I painted it with the ancient technique of wash drawing with very fine natural pigments and a mosaic of pure gold leaf on a table of valuable wood with a linen canvas, natural plasters and glues and finished with natural lacquers: a technique destined to last in time, for an up-to-date and contemporary work in this important liturgical setting.

Placed within a rectangular chest, painted with earth pigments into order to portray our earthly reality, the portrayal of this event of high human and spiritual value is directed towards the faithful. This is a war setting with exploding weapons and barbed wire which, however, invites the observer to pursue peace and love strongly with deeds of the great mercy and compassion of the figures who are portrayed.

The blue night sky with the moon refer to the nights of pain of mankind: there are twelve shining stars and between them there is the sun, portraying the totality of humanity and the creation, which groans and suffers because of sin and the tragedy of divisions and wars.

The pure gold leaf, a very valuable metal that does not corrode, represents divine life, its splendour, the eternal life that is reflected in the halo of the saint which shines behind his face. Thus the night is also illuminated by a mosaic of pure gold leaf with small and large tiles in different forms. Each tile in the mosaic represents each one of us, redeemed by the Easter of Christ and transfigured by his light and his love.

At the centre of the work stands out the pyramidal image of St. Camillus and two soldiers in camouflaged combat clothing, in a movement of a single embrace, to bear witness to the act of charity that has been engaged in

The bandaged wounds, and above all the face of the wounded man, clearly evoke Christ, whom St. Camillus saw and loved in every suffering person. Indeed, St. Camillus looks at his face with an expression of love, while the health-care worker, on whose lap the wounded man rests and is comforted, looks with compassion at his wounds.

The wounded soldier has put his helmet on the ground to one side and in his hand he holds an olive branch, the symbol of brotherhood and peace.

This is a work that portrays the great vocation and mission of St. Camillus de Lellis and of military health care but which also involves all health-care workers and all of us. Indeed, the wounded man/Christ looks with infinite love at the faithful and the watcher because the Lord himself will say to health-care workers and to each one of us: ‘I was sick and you visited me,…every time you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me’ (cf. Mt 25: 36,40).

Silvia Polizzi

http://www.webalice.it/silvia.polizzi