Restored "Hospitality" Now in Bishop Wycislo Center at Green Bay Cathedral

Written by Sam Lucero - The Compass

Thursday, 22 December 2011 09:36

Unveiling ceremony held to welcome 'The Hospitality of St. Julian' to cathedral

GREEN BAY — An oil painting that dates back to the 1750s and is considered a rare masterpiece is now hanging in the hospitality center of the Bishop Wycislo Center, located adjacent to St. Francis Xavier Cathedral.

An unveiling ceremony for "The Hospitality of St. Julian" took place Dec. 15, with representatives of the Green Bay and De Pere Antiquarian Society and the Neville Museum on hand.

"We thank God for the blessing of allowing us to have this beautiful painting here in this beautiful place," said Fr. John Girotti, rector of the cathedral, who along with parishioner Andrew Opicka unveiled the painting, which hangs in an alcove on the south wall of the hospitality center.

Fr. John Girotti, rector of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, gives a brief history of St. Julian, who is depicted in the painting behind him. It is now on display in the Bishop Wycislo Center next to the cathedral. The painting is on loan indefinitely from the Green Bay and De Pere Antiquarian Society. (Sam Lucero | The Compass)

Jones explained that the antiquarian society purchased artwork, known as the Heritage Collection, from the Brown County Library in December 2007. "We purchased these assets that were going to be placed up for auction in New York because they were part of our heritage," she said. "These assets were presented from the turn of the century, in the 1900s, by philanthropists of the day."

Click here to read the entire story from The Compass News...