Tom Fedorek became a docent at the Cathedral in 1984. He knew Alan Bird and several of the cutters and carvers. He is now the Senior Volunteer Guide. His video presentations on the Portal of Paradise are must see and hear. They cover the history of this 12 year endeavor, the design elements and the people who worked on it. Additionally, the biblical connections are defined. Each of the four episodes are important. If you don’t have time at one sitting for them all, please come back. Enjoy Tom Fedorek’s guide to the Portal of Paradise.
Episode 1 – 8 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode 2 – 13 minutes, 53 seconds
Episode 3 – 13 minutes, 39 seconds
Episode 4 – 15 minutes, 58 seconds
In this last video, there isn’t the usual discussion of the base for the final statue, that of John the Baptist. We asked Tom to tell us about the carver of that base and its symbolism. Here is what he told us.
“The base stone was carved by Jean-Claude Marchionni. JC’s work tends to be busier and more roughly textured than Simon’s.
“As for the symbolism, Isaiah writes of the prophet called to announce the coming of the Lord and the deliverance of his people from exile: ‘A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God’. (Isaiah 40:3) The Gospel writers understood John the Baptist, the immediate forerunner of Jesus, to be his prophet. All four Gospels refer to John as ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness.’ “
I believe we are intended to interpret the ears on the base stone as the world waiting expectantly to at long last hear the voice prophesied by Isaiah
– Tom Fedorek
Lastly, of note is the small dog with the camera around its neck. The dog’s name is Cooper and celebrates both Martha Cooper, a photographer who documented the portal carving project for four years, as well as the thousands of camera-toting tourists who flock to the Cathedral each year. This concludes Tom Fedorek’s Guide to the Portal of Paradise.
- We are indebted to Tom Fedorek for his presentations and his knowledge of the Cathedral, and the overall work of the Department of Education and Visitor Services.
- As well, our gratitude to Ruth Whaley, Manager, Community and Educational Initiatives for the work that they do.