Mother Theodore Guerin Artifact 23

Statue of Immaculate Conception, also known as Bertaudiere's Madonna

Description:	One of the Congregations oldest and most cherished statues, it was donated by a benefactor in Soulaines, France, as an ex-voto for Mother Theodore Guerins recovery from a near fatal illness in 1841. Upon its arrival at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, the statue was mounted in the place reserved for it above and behind the altar in the chapel that was an enclosed porch in the farmhouse convent. There it remained until 1844 when Bishop de la Hailandiere had it removed to the newly completed village church. The workmen removing the statue accidentally broke off one of the hands, which the sisters picked up and carefully preserved. Nine years later, Bishop de Saint-Palais restored the statue to the community. It was placed in a special niche. In 1863 it was transferred to the new temporary frame chapel and was saved from the fire of 1889. For many years this treasured relic of early days had been preserved and honored in Providence Hall Community Room. Originally, it was painted in delicate colors, but to make it harmonize with the surroundings it was later painted white. Now it stands in the Heritage Room at the Providence Center at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.
Origin:	2006-03-22
Created By:	Massini, Dominic, sculptor
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/sisters/id/68
Collection:	Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/
Copyright:	Copyright Undetermined
Subjects:	Art Madonnas Religion Religious articles Religious orders Religious communities Scuplture Sisters of Providence (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.) Famous Hoosiers Religion

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