La fe y el arte de nuestro tiempo

To mark the centenary of the birth of Javier Carvajal Ferrer (1926-2013), considered by many to be one of the most important Spanish architects of the 20th century, we are publishing a previously unpublished lecture he delivered at the VIII Meetings of European University Professors, held in Santiago de Compostela during the summer of 1995. Drawing on words written by Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the establishment of the Pontifical Council for Culture (1982), Carvajal explains to his audience —in his characteristically passionate, halting and circular style— the commitment every Christian has to contribute to building a civilization rooted in the love of Christ. The artist, in particular, must place their talents at the service of their fellow human beings, so that, by understanding themselves, they may be able to create and transmit a new beauty that alleviates the burden of life for other human beings, thus illuminating the times in which each of us lives.