The Sculpture of St. Procopius

The sculpture of St. Procopius in the entry court of St. Procopius Abbey was made in welded bronze by Chicago artist Richard Hunt to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the completion of the church and monastery building.

Since the patron saint of the abbey lived in the 11th century, Richard Hunt conceived the figure in the Romanesque style which prevailed in Europe at that time. Gesture is emphasized while anatomical elements and facial features are abstracted. The artist designed the figure also to relate to the angular forms of St. Procopius Abbey.

St. Procopius, whose Greek name means "one who makes progress in work," was abbot of a monastery at Sazava in Bohemia, which is located about 40 miles southeast of Prague in today's Czech Republic. He is depicted in the garb of a monk wearing a pectoral cross, his arms extended in welcome.

Behind and to the side of the saint is a multivaent sculptural form. As a tree whose stump shows various shoots, it relates to a motto of the mother abbey of the Benedictine Order, Monte Cassino, which experienced five destructions.

"Succisa virescit" (Cut down, it grows again) has been descriptive of most Benedictine institutions since the time of St. Benedict in the sixth century, including the monastery at Sazava, which is depicted in a landscape setting behind the figure of St. Procopius.

A carpenter's square and an open book in reference to the saint's life are shown in the tree form. Considered an exorcist, teacher, farmer, and benefactor of the poor, St. Procopius established the first Czech school of the arts in painting, sculpture, and architecture. He fostered the transcription of Slavonic gospel books, psalters, and other liturgical books, especially for chant.

The top of the tree form resembles antlers referring to the story of Duke Oldrich. While chasing a stag during a hunt in the Sazava forest, the duke discovered St. Procopius in a hermitage. Impressed by the saint's holiness, Oldrich provided an endowment for his monastery

Another legend says that St. Procopius tied the devil on a chain, hitched him to a plow, spurred him on with a cross so that the devil plowed a ditch on the right bank of the Sazava river below the monastery. A plow form is shown behind the figure of the saint in Richard Hunt's ensemble. The ditch is called to this day "Certova Brazda" (The Devil's Furrow).

When they were invited to Chicago from St. Vincent Archabbey in 1885 to pray and work among the Czech immigrants, the Benedicanes establisned their monastery at St. Procopius Church at 18th and Allport streets on the near Southwest side in what is known as the Pilsen District. As their schools and other apostolates increased, they transferred their monastery to Lisle in 1914. It was located in Benedictine Hall on today's campus of Benedicune University. The monk's finally moved into their own church and monastery in 197O.
 

The Abbot

Vocations

Tour

Attire

Profession

Oblates

The Schools

Resources

History

Calendar

Spirituality

Work

Events

Ordination

Cemetery

Publications