Sculpture recalls service of interfaith friendship

Visitors may note the incongruity, but few realize the significance of "Portal," erected in 1989 by Schenectady sculptor Robert Blood.

A 16-foot, one-ton arch of 12-gauge steel, "Portal" commemorates what is believed to be the first reconciliation service in the world between Catholics and Jews. The service, "From Fear to Friendship," took place on Palm Sunday in 1986, when Bishop Howard J. Hubbard formally apologized on behalf of the Church for centuries of anti-Semitism.

Reminder in stone

"We talked, and the idea of portals just popped into my head -- of coming from here to there," said the sculptor, now in his late 70s. "They embraced it right away."

After countless sketches, he came up with three final designs for the sculpture. He cast miniatures in bronze and presented them to the committee, who chose the final design. Committee chair Joan Dunham kept one of the alternates.

Mr. Blood said "Portal" is the tallest sculpture he's ever created; he had to build scaffolding on the site where the sculpture would sit, and climb up and down the rungs all day to assemble the massive pieces of steel.

In place

At the ceremony, another unprecedented event occurred: Bishop Hubbard and Rabbi Martin Silverman joined hands to walk through the portal as a gesture of friendship.

The artist wept.

"One of the women who had been through the Holocaust said she walked through `Portal' and felt cleansed," he remembered, choking up. "I just bawled. That's the highest thing an artist can hope for."

Symbolism

"It stands there as a symbol of reconciliation and good faith of both the Catholic and Jewish community, the relationships and trust that have been built over the years, and our working together on many touchy issues," said Father Pape.

"It gets difficult sometimes, interreligious and ecumenical dialogue...but there's a willingness to work together, a desire to work for the betterment of human life, a commitment to social justice, that binds us together."

Metallic hope

"I admire it. The process I go through is lengthy," he remarked on the sculpture. "Because it takes time and a lot of work, there are very few pieces I've done I don't find something to admire about."

(To see more pictures of "Portal" and Mr. Blood's other sculptures, including a corpus and crown of thorns for Our Lady of Victory parish in Troy, go to www.geocities.com/robertbloodsculptor/mainpix.htm.)

(11-14-02) [[In-content Ad]]