Skip to content

'Restoring Jesus mosaic could put Oldham on map'

Jamie Moughton,North Westand
Rumeana Jahangir
Estate of George Mayer-Marton Jesus is depicted with a golden halo with his arms stretched and pinned to the cross with Mary and St John - also with golden halos - praying on both sides. The cross is surrounded by a dazzling golden oval.Estate of George Mayer-Marton
The mosaic features the crucifixion of Jesus but was later painted over

Heritage campaigners are hoping to restore a church mosaic of Jesus on the cross by a Jewish refugee after it was partly painted over by "a well-meaning priest" in the 1980s.

The mural, which was listed Grade II in 2022, was created at Holy Rosary Church in Oldham by Hungarian artist George Mayer-Marton in 1955.

Nearly 20 years after he fled Austria before World War Two, he was commissioned by the Roman Catholic Church to design art for churches in north-west England, including one of the Pentecost at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool.

Those responsible for the church in Oldham said the mural's restoration would put the town on the map.

Mayer-Marton used a rare combination of mosaic and fresco to portray the crucifixion, with Jesus flanked by his mother Mary and St John.

A spokesperson for the Save Britain's Heritage charity said: "Sadly the mural was partly painted over by a well-meaning priest in the 1980s and the church was shut in 2017 and targeted by vandals."

The exhibit is "a remarkable example of post-war mural art and the revival of the mosaic in Britain", according to the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Oldham Mural & Cultural Heritage Trust The same mural but everything around Jesus on the cross is painted white expect for the faces of Mary and St John.Oldham Mural & Cultural Heritage Trust
The mural was partly painted over in the 1980s

Ottilia Ördög, a director of the Manchester cultural organisation Beat Bazaar who is of Hungarian origin, described the mural as "very moving and very dazzling and sparkly".

"It would definitely draw an international audience, so it would put Oldham on the map," she said.

"Not many people know about Hungarians and I think this is something that we are all very proud of."

A new trust has been set up to transform the former church, which was shut after the congregation declined, into a cultural centre focused on helping younger people.

Ms Ördög said: "We need to raise at least £2m in order to fix the roof, repair the building and make it usable, but we're going to be doing that in small steps."