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Work of art joins collection at St. Luke’s Chapel

by Leigh Fylstra
Public Relations
Ann Edwards, wife of MUSC’s former president, asked her personal friend, Adelaide Waller, to craft a cover for the renovated kneeling bench in the chapel. 

A needlepoint embroidered covering was crafted for the renovated kneeling bench at St. Luke's Chapel.

Using her creativity and mastery of needlepoint, Waller completed the embroidered covering after 10 months of intricate stitching. Refusing payment, Waller gave her artwork to MUSC’s chapel.

St. Luke’s Chapel, one of Charleston’s most historic and beloved buildings, contains priceless artwork. Amidst the elaborate stained glass windows, the meticulously carved organ and John Stevens Cogdell’s antique painting, “Christ in the Garden,” the new piece of craftsmanship complements the chapel’s existing beauty.

Maxine Pearson, now retired director of the chapel, called the gift, a labor of love. “You can’t pay for that kind of thing,” she said.

Waller developed the design with religious significance. A dove, symbolizing peace, flies along the left side of the covering.  The letters IHS, standing for the first three letters of Jesus’ name in Greek, covers the middle section. Representing the strength and sacrifice of St. Luke, a winged bull stands on the right side of the artwork.

“Everyone loves the chapel. It just works it’s magic on you,” Pearson said.