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It is believed to be the first fresco painted in an English
cathedral since the twelfth century. Measuring more than
30 feet by 20 feet, it was painted directly onto a special mix
of wet plaster so as to become part of the wall. Because of this,
it will retain the freshness of its colours and its striking beauty
for centuries.
The upper part depicts the baptism of Christ by John the
Baptist, while the lower part illustrates the baptism of King
Ethelbert of Kent by Saint Augustine and the baptism of some
two thousand of his Anglo Saxon followers on the banks of
the Medway, just a stone’s throw from where the cathedral
now stands on land given by King Ethelbert.
The artist, 46-year-old Sergei Fyodorov, was born in
Moscow and trained at an art college in his native Russia.
He acquired his special iconographic skills from Orthodox
monks, which explains the style of his work with its distinct
Byzantine flavour.
Fyodorov’s previous works are to be seen in the Danilov
Monastery in Moscow, Winchester Cathedral and
Westminster Abbey, though none are on the scale of his
ambitious work at Rochester. This work has taken over
three years to complete, and to fit in with the daily life of
a busy cathedral, the artist, assisted by his wife Jelena, often
worked through the evening and late into the night so as
not to be disturbed.
He said: “I am delighted with the work, it is a very detailed
and precise piece but now I am very tired. I need to take a
break, catch up on my sleep and meet up with my family and
friends again. I will return soon to complete the final finishing
touches.” He added that the fresco includes a group of
Freemasons, but is leaving it to the Masons themselves to
discover where!
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I spy... an intriguing aspect of the fresco.
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William Bryen commented: “Freemasons in England
have always been supportive of the Established Church
and over the years have made very significant contributions
to beautify and adorn its buildings. Any visitor with an
enquiring eye will not infrequently come across dedications
with a Masonic connection inscribed on a tablet, or Masonic
symbols in the stained glass of a small country church or of an
imposing cathedral.
“These all bear witness to the love, faith and devotion of
generations of Freemasons. The Freemasons of Kent very
much hope that the beautiful fresco in our cathedral will be
seen as their Millennium gift to the people of Kent. They are
proud and honoured to make that gift and hope that it will be
to the people of Kent a source of spiritual inspiration not only
to them, but to their children and their children’s children.”
John Bonomy added: “Kent Freemasons have enjoyed a
long and happy association with Rochester Cathedral for over
150 years. The decision to fund the fresco was a fitting and
significant way to mark that friendship. Clearly, in this beauti-
ful piece of work, it can now be seen what an important and
right decision that was, for the fresco is a thing of true beauty
which will be enjoyed by the people of Kent, as well as visitors
to our county for hundreds of years to come and well into the
next millennium.”
The fresco is the latest in a long line of Rochester projects
funded by Kent Freemasons. They include the restoration
of Gundulph’s Tower in 1925 to provide practice rooms for
the choristers; two statues above the West Door depicting
bishops Gundulph and John of Canterbury; a stained glass
window in the south nave transept commemorates the Very
Reverend Samuel Reynolds Hole, Grand Chaplain in 1897,
and the ongoing support of a chorister at the King’s School.
Other significant contributions made by English
Freemasons may be seen in York Minster, the cathedrals of
Worcester, Durham and Truro, in Malmesbury Abbey and
in the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick.
A video/DVD has been made telling the story of the fresco
in far greater detail than can be given here, together with
music by the cathedral choir and organ. It will shortly be
available from the Provincial Office of West Kent.
Charles Marchant is Provincial Information Officer
for the Masonic Province of West Kent
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