They’ve seen it all for more than half a century.
The Twelve Apostles standing guard at the back of the sanctuary in Wesley Chapel have been silent witnesses to the life of the West Virginia Wesleyan Community year after year.
Students have come and gone. They have made beautiful music in Wesley Chapel, won many awards, and shown great enthusiasm for events like Spring Sing. They have been challenged by powerful speakers and celebrated the Christmas Season with Lessons and Carols.
Faculty have come and gone. They have marched in procession for countless convocations. They have given speeches and led prayers.
The Alma Mater and My Home Among the Hills have been sung with great gusto hundreds of times. The Orange Line Poem has been read as alumni have come back to celebrate their time at Wesleyan. The apostles have been listening.
And the Apostles have been there for all of it.
Carved from chestnut wood by Upshur County artist, Wolfgang Flor, these Silent Sentinals are full of meaning and personality. And yet, many have never noticed them or taken time to read the deep thoughts of Wolfgang Flor.
Wolfgang Flor was 38 years old when he was commissioned by West Virginia Wesleyan College to carve the apostles.
A native of Silesia, who escaped from Nazi Germany during World War II, Flor settled in rural Upshur County with his family. When given this huge task, he studied several books about the apostles and also consulted with Dr. Sidney T. Davis (Class of 1936 and The Dean of the Chapel) to find out more about the personalities and histories of each of the twelve. The words included with these photos are those of Wolfgang Flor.
Woflgang Flor died on December 2, 2017. But, his work lives on. Although he is a very well-known artist beyond West Virginia Wesleyan, his work has a very special place on our campus. He captured not only the apostles, but the very nature of what the college values.
Toward the end of his life, a new piece was placed at the front of the santuary. It is the Family Tree. He told President Pamela Balch that it felt like closure for him to know that his work would go on living in Wesley Chapel.
“The woman on the right is called “Poverty.” She represents the result of this imbalance of wealth. Her upturned face and folded hands portray her prayers for relief. She stands close to her daughter in an attempt to protect her from the injustices of the world. Of course, her under-nourished daughter represents all of the starving people in the world as she holds the empty place while we count her ribs.”
Yes, Wolfgang Flor’s work is the essence of West Virginia Wesleyan College. Our United Methodist Heritage and our committment to Social Justice are on display.
