Brief by Ed Quillen
Salida Yards – December 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine –
The irreverent may call them “bathtub Marys,” and many others wonder why they adorn yards — not just in Salida, but throughout the world.
Part of the answer is spiritual, and part of it is related to architectural tradition, according to the Rev. Hank Grodecki, pastor of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Salida.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, “is seen as a model Christian,” Grodecki explained. “She said yes to God when presented with the choice of bearing Jesus. It was free will, and she freely chose that course. So she’s an example to the entire community of believers.”
Some may see the statues as something close to idolatry, but Grodecki said that’s not the case. “They’re symbols to remind us of our faith,” he said. The Catholic Church, he explained, “is a faith that embraces all the senses — think of the incense and the choir at services — and these statues are visual and tactile.”
Although Mary is the most common, “you will also see St. Francis, St. Joseph, and St. Anthony,” Grodecki said. They’re all reminders, symbols to assist in living the faith on a daily basis.
But why the outer shell shaped like an upended bathtub? The shell does protect from the elements, but its shape comes from the Romanesque architecture once employed for many cathedrals.
Cathedrals aren’t the only examples of that style, though. Grodecki studied architecture before turning to the priesthood, and he pointed out that “most state capitols are Romanesque, with pillars on the outside and a dome on top. Inside, there are niches in the walls, and the niches have rounded tops. Romanesque churches had niches with symbols and statues, and the yard adornments are imitations of that style of architecture.”
Grodecki came to Salida from southern Missouri, where “you’d see a lot of old bathtubs used that way. Here, more people tend to buy a shell when they buy the statue, rather than recycle a bathtub.”
He stressed that they “represent a personal choice. It’s up to believers whether they want one in their yards. It’s not a matter of church doctrine one way or the other.” However, he is sometimes asked to bless them, and when that happens, he does perform a short ceremony.
The tree at the bottom just has some interesting birdhouses.
