presbyter, university professor, writer
The divine light that embraces a people on the move
RENATO LI VIGNI
Introduction
Renato Li Vigni’s artwork for the 2025 Jubilee
This piece, created through an intense dialogue between the artist and myself, becomes a meaningful sign for the coming Jubilee and fits naturally into the Church’s synodal journey. Following Christ’s example, the Church seeks to listen to and accompany the men and women of our time, offering salvation, forgiveness of sins and life; Li Vigni’s painting is thus a visual hymn to hope and Redemption. More than capturing mere movement and light, it also underscores the value of gold and the world of health, bringing brightness and comfort to the Radiotherapy Unit of Gemelli Isola. Four main elements characterise the work: movement, light, gold and the healthcare setting.
Symbolising the Jubilee’s central theme—pilgrims of hope—movement evokes the whole of Christian life as a continuous journey behind the Lord, together with brothers and sisters reborn in Baptism and enlivened by the Eucharist. It is more than an artistic device: it embodies the living encounter with Christ and the community of believers, a path that involves the entire People of God and all nations, summoned by the Holy Father’s invitation, itself echoing the greater call of the Jubilee and the celebration of Christ’s birth.
Another fundamental element is light, which draws and embraces the people in motion as though to welcome them into a luminous centre that unites everyone. One glance and the viewer is captivated: in John’s Gospel, divine Light is a powerful metaphor for Christ who dispels the darkness of sin (cf. Jn 1:1-18). The Jubilee invites us to let ourselves be illuminated by this divine radiance, to begin again without fear, guided by jubilee grace and forgiveness. Li Vigni’s canvas shows how God’s light can set everything in motion, uniting the faithful in a common journey of renewal.
The gold, a frequent feature in Li Vigni’s oeuvre, stands for heaven, holiness, and those glorified for heroic faith. In Christian iconography gold symbolises the divine and paradise; here it recalls sanctity and the aspiration to a heroic Christian life of faith, hope and love. The predominantly warm, fiery palette evokes the presence of the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son and pours redemptive love into believers’ hearts (cf. Rom 5:5).
The painting now forms part of the Gemelli Isola Hospital collection, a centre of excellence in research and care. I personally arranged for its placement in the radiotherapy ward, where its vibrant colours and light can bring comfort and hope to patients. These warm, lively tones are symbols of positivity, reminding us that true hope is no slogan but a divine gift. As we celebrate the Jubilee, we prepare to set out afresh on a Christian way of life.
Born in Venezuela to Sicilian parents, Li Vigni infuses his work with the warm colours of his native land, its sun-drenched atmospheres and an intense spirituality. He has long devoted his painting to religious themes: in 1993 he created an altarpiece for Palermo’s Madonna delle Catene church; in 1997 a baptismal font for the cathedral; and in 2000 a cycle on the life of Padre Pio.
Pontificia Academia Mariana Internationalis, “Giubileo — Immagini e Segni,” ed. Giovanni Emidio Palaia, Edizioni San Paolo, 2025, pp. 419-421. ISBN 978-88-922-4678-2.
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