For unspecified reasons, an Indigenous image of Jesus Christ was "taken in the middle of the night," says a parishioner of St. Joseph Apache Mission, located on tribal land in Mescalero, New Mexico.

The focus of this tense, unresolved episode is the 8-foot Apache Christ painting. For this close-knit community, it is a revered icon created by Franciscan friar Robert Lentz in 1989.

Apache Christ Icon Controversy Sparks Debate Over Indigenous Catholic Faith Practices MESCALERO, New Mexico (AP) — Anne Marie Brillante never imagined she would have to choose between being ...

The congregation at St. Joseph Apache Mission is dealing with the hurt caused by their priest removing a painting called the Apache Christ.

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The Apache Christ painting hangs behind the altar of St. Joseph Apache Mission church in Mescalero, New Mexico, Saturday, July 13, 2024. The painting, an icon that depicts Christ as a Mescalero ...

The Apache Christ painting hangs behind the altar of St. Joseph Apache Mission church in Mescalero, New Mexico, Saturday, July 13, 2024. The painting, an icon that depicts Christ as a Mescalero ...

The Apache Christ painting hangs behind the altar of St. Joseph Apache Mission church in Mescalero, New Mexico, Saturday, July 13, 2024. The painting, an icon that depicts Christ as a Mescalero ...

It depicts Christ as a Mescalero medicine man and has hung behind the church's altar for 35 years under a crucifix as a reminder of the holy union of their culture and faith.

The focus of this tense, unresolved episode is the 8-foot Apache Christ painting. For this close-knit community, it is a revered icon created by Franciscan friar Robert Lentz in 1989.