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The medallion in the altar front of the Pelican, is the ancient symbol of the Eucharist, and is particularly appropriate in this community where these special birds may once again be seen cruising along the waters of the Bay. By legend it is believed that the female pelican would rip open her breast to feed her young with her own life blood to avert their starvation in famine and so has this community drawn its spiritual life from Our Lady of the Gulf.
The statue of Christ to the left of the altar and the side altars of
The Blessed Virgin Mother and St. Joseph are also of Carrarra Marble.
Strikingly lite with soft lights, these side altars are held in deep reverence by parishoners and flowers and offerings are always present.
Every aspect of the church structure has significance. The
church was designed to image the material and spiritual world.
The nave of the church was the sensory world and represented humanity. The floor of the nave with its single path down the center represents the world and the path of the pilgrims toward God. The steps leading to the altar, illustrates the spiritual ascent, especially to the sanctuary which is on a higher level. The Sanctuary represents the spiritual world and the Altar represents the mediating power between heaven and earth.
As you walk along the side aisles toward the altars of Jospeh and Mary, your path is marked by the unique Stations of the Cross which depict Christ's spiritual journey. The Stations of the Cross are a high standard of three dimensional	^
art not seen in many modern churches. These excellent stations were erected for only $1,400.00 in the early 1920's.
Every part of the nave of the
Church speaks of the rich tradition of the Catholic faith. Many of the stained glass windows lend themselves to meditation on Jesus or Mary and were originally designed, not just as art, but as a catechism to a people who, by-in-large, could not read. These windows are the highest quality v^prk produced by the Leadenhaus of Mayer and Company of Munich, Germany and were originally installed at a price of $14,000. Today, whether by purse or heart, these windows are irreplaceable to the parishioners of Our Lady of the Gulf.
One story of earlier times in Bay St. Louis is of the ’47 hurricane which lashing the town of Bay St. Louis severely. Many of the inhabitants of Bay St. Louis fled to the refuge of the Church. Commonsense would declare this a poor choice for cover, although the integrity of the massive walls would hold through the most fierce winds, the quantity of glasswork could have been dangerous. In front of the Church at this time in its history stood the statue of the Risen Christ looking out to the Gulf. Waiting out the storm, the refugees emerged from the protection of the Church, and saw the destruction heaped everywhere, except
upon Our Lady of the Gulf. When the astonished inhabitants went out to the front they saw that the Statue of Christ had turned around on its base arms embracing His Church. In effect, Christ had turned His back on the storm.
Glory to God in the Highest rings out from the choir loft across from the High Altar. Acoustically superior, the construction of Our Lady of the Gulf radiates the excellent tones of the large electro-pneumatic Wicks. A large organ, with its pipes extending to the ceiling, its resonance fills the Church and completes the sensory raising experience of
the worshiper. Choir members have a excellent repertiore which includes the traditional Latin classics and the Great Masters of church music. The Senior Choir sings at the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Mass.
Too numerous to describe here are all the liturgical and allegorical symbols in the Church. Each grand window and clerestory window is rich with a story in the life of Christ and His Mother. A list of the ceiling illustrations done in blue tones with brown accents follows beginning from the altar backward. First three lines of circles. The two outside rows show the apostles the center the symbols of the Gospels. Front center to back: Matthew,martyred, the Divine Man is his symbol as he teaches the human nature of Christ; Mark, martyr, the symbol of the winged lion informs us of the dignity of Christ; the center symbol is Jesus, the focus of all we are and all we do; Luke, the winged ox, informs us of the sacrificial nature of Christ; John, the rising eagle, the farsighted symbol of the mysteries of heaven and the Word made flesh. From the front, along the sides from left to right, the apostles: Paul, with his sword and open Bible teaches us the new law; Peter with his keys; second line: Simon the Zealot and James the Major; thirdly: Matthew with his symbol of a tax collector and John with the chalice and serpent symbolizing the early renegade Christian trying to poison him; fourthly:
Jude, a bible in his hands shows us nothing is impossible through the word of God and Andrew, with an x-shaped saltier cross as his symbol of martyrdom; the fifth set contains James the Minor with a fuller's pole, the symbol of his martyrdom and the martyred Philip with his loaves of bread; and lastly we see over the choir loft the apostles Thomas with his lance and Barthomew with the knife, symbol of his martyrdom by being flayed alive.
Each window is composed of more allegorical symbols than can be described in this brochure, however the information is on file at the rectory. The Eastern Wall begins a small window over the door dedicated to The Guardian Angel by the Angel Society and the Grand Windows as 1.) The Presentation of Mary; 2.) The Annunication; 3.) The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ; 4.) Mary and Joseph in the carpteners shop outside their home with the Baby at Mary's Feet; 5.) and in the old baptistry is The Baptism of Jesus with the words "Ecce Angnus Dei" meaning "Behold the Lamb of God." From the back toward the High Altar is the on the Western Wall is the 1.) Window dedicated by the Children of Mary, a special window to Our Lady of the Gulf Parish family as it depict Mary as Our Lady of the Gulf and shows the Church as it was orginally planned with domes which were never added; 2.) Mary standing at the Cross of her Son supported by St. Joseph; 3.) Jesus appearing to Mary after the Ressurection;4.) The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven; and above the door is a theological scene of Mary receiving communion.