Goring-by-Sea, England

oring-by-Sea is a small town in Sussex, on the South Coast of England. Once a tiny village, it grew steadily over the past century, transforming itself into a family seaside resort and attractive retirement district.

Like most such places, it has a Catholic church. This stands alongside an old barn that, at one time, served as a temporary church. The onetime farm shelter is now the parish hall.

Were you to judge English Martyrs Catholic Church by its exterior, you would likely assume it to be a run-of-the-mill place of worship in the modern mold. In fact it looks rather bleak.

First impressions are deceiving, for inside is a visual display of extraordinary beauty and power: an exact replica of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. A local artist has recreated that famed and magnificent work in full scale and brilliant hues, accurate to the last detail.

This year marks the 500th anniversary of Michelangelo’s completion of his overhead masterpiece — and the 15th anniversary of the inauguration by local artist Gary Bevans of this lovingly crafted re-creation.

Evans’ achievement has garnered attention from media around the world. The locals are used to tourists arriving here to gawk by the busload. On one occasion a group of Catholic pilgrims en route to Rome from America scheduled a stopover at nearby Gatwick airport just so they could see this site.

“I don’t know why God allowed me to have this ability,” says Bevans, “but I know it is meant to be used.” He has no formal art training and is a professional sign-maker by trade. He began the English Martyrs ceiling project in his backyard.

“Dad started to do some of the painting on panels back at home,” says his daughter Emily Jane. “I remember him working away at it. But then he found that it couldn’t be done that way. It wasn’t possible to paint the panels and then fix them in place in the ceiling. He had to paint in situ — it was the only way.”

^{Beauty and Truth}

For five years starting in 1988, the church was obstructed by interior scaffolding as, inch by inch, Bevans worked his way across the ceiling, detail by detail. Complicating his undertaking was the fact that, when he conceived the project, the original was undergoing renovations.

Only when that painstaking task was completed — amid some controversy; many felt that the final colors, revealed after extensive cleaning, were far too bright — could Bevans obtain pictures from which he could do his own work.

“The restoration work in the Sistine Chapel was sponsored by a Japanese TV company,” he recalls. “After it was all completed, the only way I could get the detailed pictures I needed was to buy the special, limited-edition commemorative book they produced as part of the project. It cost £600 (about $1,200) and I bought a copy, and cut out the pages one by one to have the pictures beside me as I worked.”

“I had to get the colors exactly correct, and that meant waiting until the restoration work was finally completed,” adds Bevans. “The world had become used to seeing the faded version of the famous ceiling — but, gradually, the full glory of Michelangelo’s vibrant colors was revealed. Those are the colors that are on my ceiling too.”

He had the full support and backing of the parish priest, and of his fellow parishioners. Donations poured in to cover the cost of supplies.

“Well, I think they all like the project,” he says modestly, thinking back. (In reality, like is too weak a word. Not only parishioners but also local citizens are immensely proud of “their” great work of art.)

Of course, beauty points to truth. And truth points to Truth — better known as God.

As he worked, standing high up amid the scaffolding, paintbrush in hand, Bevans encountered many passersby who dropped in for a look — and found themselves praying and rediscovering their faith.

News of the ceiling made it all the way to Rome, where Pope John Paul II was fascinated by the story. In 1993 Gary Bevans was awarded the papal medal Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, presented in a ceremony by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor. At the time he was bishop of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton; he is now archbishop of Westminster.

Earlier, a thanksgiving Mass on the completion of the ceiling was celebrated, with a packed congregation including the mayor, the local police chief, representatives of various civic organizations and the Duke of Norfolk, head of Britain’s premier Catholic family, whose seat is at Arundel Castle nearby.

For his part Gary Bevans is a convert. He became a Catholic at the age of 17. And he is still journeying forward in faith. With the support of his wife Teresa and their two daughters, Emily Jane and Bernadette, he is now studying for the diaconate at St. John’s Seminary in the village of Wonersh.

This new call came, he says, during the silence of long nights spent working quietly in the church, with just a light on his section of scaffolding — and another light, the sanctuary lamp, glowing by the tabernacle, a reminder of the constant presence of Christ.

Joanna Bogle writes

from London.

English MartyrsCatholic Church

Goring Way

Goring-by-Sea, Worthing

West Sussex BN12 4UH

Website: sistinechapeluk.co.uk

E-mail: [email protected]

Planning Your Visit

Goring-by-sea can be reached by rail from London (Victoria station). The journey takes about an hour and a half. The church is five minutes’ walk from Goring station. By road: take the A259 heading west. The nearest town is Worthing, just along the coast.