Sanctuary Mural

The Church was redecorated in 1914.  A highlight was the sanctuary painting, The Ascension of Our Lord, done by the firm of Sturm, Haak and Czervinski of New York.  The mural was commissioned in the period of pre-war optimism of 1914 but as the artist, Mr. Sturm, was a German national, he rushed to finish the work to leave for the United States or risk being interned as an alien in the Empire.  He reached the New York border only one day before war was declared and so left the seams of the mural unfinished and the painting unsigned.
Surrounding the main arch, in artistic lettering, was the inscription ‘Heiligfeit ift ble Zierbe Beines Haufes Emiglich’ (Holiness adorneth Thine House, O Lord Forever). There was an abundance of ‘gilt’ used – in fact, more than was found in any Church in this part of Ontario.

In 1968-69 the mural was cleaned and restored.