The Secrets of Sacred Art

StarQuest Media
  • 4.5 (15)
  • Visual Arts
  • Updated Weekly

Kathryn Laffrey and Alix Murray explore the art Catholics have made and revered for 2,000 years — icons, altarpieces, illuminated manuscripts, Renaissance painting, sacred sculpture, and contemporary sacred art. Each episode uncovers the story and theology behind a specific work or tradition, from Byzantine mosaics to stained glass to modern religious imagery. For anyone who’s stood in a cathedral and wanted to understand what they were looking at

  1. Here There Be Dragons!

    Jun 15

    Here There Be Dragons!

    Dragons haunt sacred art from Genesis to Revelation, carrying meanings that shift with every century. Kathryn Laffrey and Alix Murray trace them from the Aberdeen Bestiary through saints, scripture, and the serpent that wore a woman's face. The post Here There Be Dragons! appeared first on StarQuest Media.

    1h 38m
  2. Whale of a Tale: Fishy Pulpits

    Jun 1

    Whale of a Tale: Fishy Pulpits

    Whale-shaped pulpits are real, they're Baroque, and they're loaded with theology. Kathryn Laffrey and Alix Murray trace the Jonah-Christ connection behind the most spectacular preaching platforms in Christendom. The post Whale of a Tale: Fishy Pulpits appeared first on StarQuest Media.

    1h 18m
  3. Our Lady of Coromoto: Patroness of Venezuela

    May 18

    Our Lady of Coromoto: Patroness of Venezuela

    A proud Venezuelan chief threatened to shoot an arrow at the Virgin Mary. Kathryn Laffrey and Alix Murray trace the dramatic 1652 apparition, a miraculous image smaller than a fingertip, and the art and feasts of Venezuela's beloved patroness. The post Our Lady of Coromoto: Patroness of Venezuela appeared first on StarQuest Media.

    1h 34m
  4. Captivating Cathedrals: Shrewsbury Cathedral

    May 4

    Captivating Cathedrals: Shrewsbury Cathedral

    England's smallest cathedral holds one of its most layered stories. Alix Murray and Kathryn Laffrey walk through Shrewsbury Cathedral — its fraught Catholic origins, Margaret Rope's stained glass, and a restoration uncovering what whitewash hid. The post Captivating Cathedrals: Shrewsbury Cathedral appeared first on StarQuest Media.

    1h 24m
  5. The Secret Lives of Sacred Fruits

    Apr 20

    The Secret Lives of Sacred Fruits

    Every apple, pomegranate, strawberry, and almond in sacred art carries theology — and most viewers walk right past it. For episode 50, Kathryn Laffrey and Alix Murray mark the milestone with a guided tasting of fruit hidden in the margins. The post The Secret Lives of Sacred Fruits appeared first on StarQuest Media.

    1h 24m
  6. Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Garden of Promise

    Apr 6

    Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Garden of Promise

    The tilma's stars play a song. Reflections in Our Lady's eyes show up to 12 figures. Kathryn Laffrey and Alix Murray unpack the hidden science and 3,000-year-old Mesoamerican prophecy woven into the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The post Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Garden of Promise appeared first on StarQuest Media.

    1h 25m
  7. Clothed in Glory: The Art and Theology of Priestly Vestments

    Mar 23

    Clothed in Glory: The Art and Theology of Priestly Vestments

    Priestly vestments carry layers of theology, history, and craft. Kathryn Laffrey and Alix Murray trace their Roman roots, unpack every layer from amice to cope, and uncover the extraordinary medieval embroidery still surviving today. The post Clothed in Glory: The Art and Theology of Priestly Vestments appeared first on StarQuest Media.

    1h 27m
  8. The Shroud of Turin: Icon of Christ

    Mar 9

    The Shroud of Turin: Icon of Christ

    Did the Shroud of Turin shape the face of Christ in sacred art? Alix Murray, Kathryn Laffrey, and Angela Sealana trace its mysteries, artistic echoes, and the bold claim that this image still changes how we see Jesus. The post The Shroud of Turin: Icon of Christ appeared first on StarQuest Media.

    1h 16m
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About

Kathryn Laffrey and Alix Murray explore the art Catholics have made and revered for 2,000 years — icons, altarpieces, illuminated manuscripts, Renaissance painting, sacred sculpture, and contemporary sacred art. Each episode uncovers the story and theology behind a specific work or tradition, from Byzantine mosaics to stained glass to modern religious imagery. For anyone who’s stood in a cathedral and wanted to understand what they were looking at

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