The Japan Province unveiled an icon of Blessed Pedro Kibe Kasui on 1 July. This piece of religious art is thought to be one of the first representations of Blessed Kibe, and the first icon of the Jesuit blessed.
The icon, which is on display at the Kibe Hall in the Jesuit residence in Tokyo, was commissioned by the Japan Province. It comprises elements of traditional iconography, and Japanese symbolism and features that tell the story of Blessed Kibe, who overcame numerous difficulties and travelled great distances on foot and by boat to become a Jesuit priest and bring the Gospel to Japan. He was martyred in 1639 through the torture of the pit for refusing to apostatise his faith.
Crafted by iconographer Aleksandr Griaznov, the icon is written on a lime wood board supported by two strips of oak wood on the back. The halo is made of gold leaf and is decorated with carved lines depicting rays of light. The ornament around the halo is filled with several enamels. Blessed Kibe’s figure is painted using natural pigments mixed with an egg emulsion. The icon is protected with a coat of linseed oil varnish.
Griaznov, who hails from the same region where the famous monk and iconographer Andrei Rublev lived and worked, shared that he was excited but also challenged to work on Blessed Kibe’s icon.
“Nobody had ever painted an icon of Pedro Kibe before, and that meant that I had to come up with the iconography – think of the features and the symbolism that would be incorporated into the icon,” he said.
“All in all, it was not an easy job since everything had to be done from scratch, but that made this whole experience even more rewarding and enriching,” the artist shared. “I am extremely grateful that I had a chance to participate in this project, and I cherish the idea that my work will be displayed in Kibe Hall and that it will be treated as one of the first representations of this Jesuit blessed.”
Watch the process of making the icon here: