‘Faith, Hope and Charity’ mural displays Naperville Freemasons’ values
The 40th piece of art spawned by Naperville’s Century Walk is full of history, symbolism, tools and famous men.
It’s a mural on the west side of the Russell’s Dry Cleaners building at Jefferson Avenue and Main Street, and it portrays Freemasonry in Naperville and the U.S.
Sponsored by Euclid Lodge 65 in partnership with Century Walk, “Faith, Hope and Charity” by Marianne Lisson-Kuhn was unveiled Saturday morning to a crowd of about 80 people.
Before anyone got a peek at the mural, which was sheltered behind a blue “shower curtain,” Euclid Lodge’s Worshipful Master Neville Diamond told the crowd the basics of Freemasonry.
Masons stand for truth, justice, liberty, enlightenment, fraternity and philanthropy, Diamond said. Their gatherings include rituals and symbols.
Some of those symbols, such as the all-seeing eye, a compass, and tools of the stonemasonry trade, are included in the mural.
Freemasonry is not a religion, but members are religious, Diamond said.
“We aren’t a secret society, but we have secrets,” he said.
What Diamond conveyed in words to the crowd at the unveiling ceremony the mural itself is designed to convey in images.
It lists 12 famous American masons on one side, and 12 well-known Naperville masons on the other. Highlighted with nearly life-size portraits dominating the mural are one leader from each category: George Washington and Joseph Naper.
“I’m happy to let the community know what they stand for through this artwork, and hopefully more people will know what the Freemasons are about,” Lisson-Kuhn said.
In Naperville, Euclid Lodge 65 largely has stayed out of the limelight, Diamond said. But the group saw the growing body of Century Walk-sponsored art and wanted to join in by sponsoring a piece.
“I’m very proud of this mural. I’m very proud of what it represents,” said Andrew Sidelmann, president of the Naperville Masonic Temple Association.
“Faith, Hope and Charity” is Century Walk’s 40th piece of public art dedicated since 1995 when the organization formed, said Steve Hyett, a member of Century Walk’s board.
The mural will be taken down for about another month for Lisson-Kuhn to finish painting a border. Then it will be installed permanently on the Russell’s Dry Cleaners building.
“This is a phenomenally wonderful addition to all of the Century Walk,” Hyett said.