By Sharon Abercrombie
Staff writer

When visitors to the new Cathedral of Christ the Light descend the inside steps leading to the mausoleum and conference center they will see colorful flashes of whimsy in the stairwell — some 20,000 paper fish “swimming” amidst sparkling water-blue Mylar ribbons in three plastic cylinders. A close-up view reveals no two fish are alike. One is pink and boasts gold sequins. Another sports purple polka dots. A blue pastel lady fish is decked out with eye lashes and lipstick

One of three cylinders holding paper fish created by students. José Luis Aguirre photo

These fish are among the artistic creations of students enrolled in elementary schools and religious education classes in the diocese. “They represent our children’s presence in the cathedral,” explained Marla Korte, principal of St. Jerome School in El Cerrito. This past August during a principals’ meeting Korte, coordinator for the project, distributed sheets with paper cut-out templates of fish. The templates were part of an educational packet for teaching students from pre-k to grade eight some basic facts concerning their new cathedral. A key fact is that the fish shape — known in Latin as “vesica pisces”— calls to mind the architectural configuration of the cathedral, designed by San Francisco architect Craig Hartman.

As the students put their own artistic touches to the cutouts, they learned that in Greek, the word for fish is “ichthys.” They found out that Christians living in secret under threat of spear, sword and lions’ teeth and claws within the early Roman Empire scratched the shape of the fish on rocks and walls as clues to mark the way to secret gatherings. It was a good way to outwit hostile Roman soldiers and unfriendly emperors since the shape was also used to mark the location of a funeral. Therefore using the ichthys, or vesica pisces, provided a “legitimate” cover for Christian gatherings.

They also learned that the term, “cathedral” identifies a church that serves as a bishop’s headquarters. It’s called a cathedral because it contains his cathedra (chair.)

There was even some math: How many of their colored fish would be on display? Their calculations included researching the number of students enrolled in elementary schools in the diocese and in weekly religious education classes.

For students in religious education classes, there was a prayer for the new cathedral, a Gospel reading, and a song reminding them that Jesus asked his disciples to become “fishers of men.”

Korte said the project emerged from diocesan catechetical and evangelization committee meetings during the spring and summer. All of the elementary schools have participated in the project. CCD and religious education classes are still sending in their “schools” of fish. She assures them not to worry. “We’ll catch those fish when they arrive and add them in with all the others.”

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