STATUE OF ST. TERESA
Statue of Saint Teresa of Avila that stands in the niches at left side of the main door of the chapel entrance.

The statues of Saint Teresa of Avila (left) and Saint John of the Cross (right), founders of the Order of Discalced Carmelites (O.C.D), stand in the niches on either side of the main chapel entrance. Our Holy Mother Saint Teresa of Jesus (as she is affectionately called by Carmelites) was a 16th-century Spanish Carmelite nun, mystic and reformer who established the reformed branch of Carmelites by restoring the eremitical “desert” spirit of silence, solitude, poverty and prayer of the Carmelite tradition. Proclaimed as the first female Doctor of the Church in 1970, she is exalted for her teachings on prayer. These statues were enthroned in 2015 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of St. Teresa’s birth in 1515.

STATUE OF ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS
Statue of Saint John of the Cross that stands in the niches at right side of the main door of the chapel entrance.

The statues of Saint Teresa of Avila (left) and Saint John of the Cross (right), founders of the Order of Discalced Carmelites (O.C.D), stand in the niches on either side of the main chapel entrance. Our Holy Father Saint John of the Cross was a 16th-century Spanish Carmelite friar, mystic and poet who collaborated with St. Teresa to extend the Carmelite reform to the friars. Honored as a Doctor of the Church, this “Mystical Doctor” is renowned for the sublimity of his poetry and teachings on the spiritual journey of the soul toward transforming union with God. These statues were enthroned in 2015 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of St. Teresa’s birth in 1515.

ABOVE THE LINTEL
Directly above the lintel, there is a group of bas-relief figures within the tympanum—Our Lady of Mount Carmel with her Divine Son Jesus in her arms. She is listening to the petitions of two of her most illustrious Carmelite daughters. On the left is Saint Teresa of Jesus (16th century, Spain), foundress of the Discalced Carmelites; and on the right is Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (19th century, France), secondary patroness of the monastery.

ABOVE THE MAIN DOORS
Above the main doors on the façade of the Chapel, a verse from Psalm 120 (121) is carved in to the lintel: “Levavi oculos meos in montes unde veniet auxilium mihi” “I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; whence shall help come to me…” The quotation springs spontaneously to the lips when the visitor views the Chapel and monastery set majestically against the hillside of the verdant green trees and soft brown earth. The same verse occurs in the entrance song of the Mass for the titular feast of this Chapel, Our Lady Mediatrix of All Graces, which is celebrated on July 23.

SHIELDS ABOVE THE TYMPANUM
On the arch above the tympanum, there are two shields. To the left side is the Sullivan family coat of arms and to the right is the seal of California. The Sullivans owed their fortune to the opportunities they found in California; hence, these emblems are a mark of gratitude on the part of their family and a tribute to the state. Next, we see the shield of the Order of Our Lady Mount Carmel, which is centered on the arch above the large circular window.

BELOW THE CIRCULAR WINDOW ON THE FACADE
As the eye lifts higher on the façade, the visitor sees another verse from the psalms, carved in larger letters. The verse was inspired by Psalm 76 (77): “Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi et exaudivit me de monte sancto suo.” “Aloud to the Lord I cried, and He heard me from His holy mountain.” It is an invitation to enter the House of the Lord and listen, as well as speak to Christ who dwells in the tabernacle on the altar. It is this dynamic, real Presence of God—a personal presence that visitors frequently sense.

CALVARY (ON THE CHAPEL)
The Calvary scene on the pinnacle of the Chapel depicts the Scripture in John 19: 26-27: Jesus, on the cross, says to Mary, “Woman, behold, your son!” and then to the disciple whom he loved, “Behold, your mother!” The Catholic Church interprets this as Jesus entrusting Mary’s care to John and through him, to all Christians, thus making Mary the mother of the Church.

JESVM CHRISTVM REGEM REGVM VENITE ADOREMVS (OVER THE VESTIBULE DOOR)
"Jesum Christum Regem Regum Venite Adoremus" translates as, "Come, let us adore Jesus Christ, King of Kings." This Latin inscription above the inner entrance to the Chapel is a succinct, but rich combination of scriptural language and imagery. The phrase “Venite Adoremus” (Come Let us adore) is used in the traditional Christian hymn, “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” which applies the language of the Psalms regarding worship of God (Ps. 95:6) to the magis’ adoration of Christ, the Heavenly “King of Kings” (Mt 2:1-12; 1 Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14). The inscription evokes the majesty of Christ, and invites us to enter this House of God with reverence, silence and adoration.

SANCTUARY
Behind the altar, the reredos with its distinctive “monstrance window” surmounted by a large golden crown is composed of red damask panels framed in gold. The monstrance window opens on opposite sides of the wall so that the Blessed Sacrament can be exposed for the nuns in the choir directly behind the reredos. The Monastery is designed with the dynamic of the “real Presence of God” in mind by the architectural firm of Maginnis and Walsh of Boston. The chapel aligns with the setting sun on the evening of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Gentle sunlight streams into the sanctuary through the high circular window on the façade, highlighting the tabernacle on the altar with a warm luster.

THE TABERNACLE DOOR
The tabernacle door is sculpted in bas-relief with the early Christian symbol of the Pelican plucking its breast to nourish its young with its blood—symbol of the Precious Blood flowing from the wounded side of the Son of God.

ALTAR MEDALLION
The lamb holding a flag is a symbol of Jesus Christ’s victory over death and resurrection. This image is known as Agnus Dei, which is Latin for “Lamb of God”. The Lamb symbolizes Jesus’ innocence and purity. The historical context for this image is: because John the Baptist called Jesus the “Lamb of God”, Jesus died on the cross at Passover, a Jewish festival when lambs were sacrificed and, Jesus rose to life again on Easter Day. The flag symbolizes Christ’s victory over death.

CARVED ALONG THE ARCH
Carved along the arch that frames the sanctuary is another phrase taken from the Mass of Our Lady Mediatrix of all Graces: “Recordare, Virgo Mater Dei, dum steteris in conspectus Domini, ut loquaris pro nobis bona.” “Remember, Virgin Mother of God, when you stand in the sight of the Lord, to speak good things for us.”

This large mural depicting St. Thérèse receiving roses from Our Lady, which fills the back wall space above the main altar, was painted by a woman artist who was a longtime friend of the Sullivan family. As was so often the case in renaissance chapels, the faces of the donors appear in the artwork. Most of the angels are modeled after members of the Sullivan family and their cousins, members of the Doyle family. We have been told that Mother Agnes (the first prioress) posed as Our Lady!

OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL
Many years after Giacomo Mussner completed the Stations of the Cross, he was asked to carve from wood the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which stands in the niche to the left of the sanctuary. This statue depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary tenderly holding the Child Jesus close to her face, Our Lady of Mt Carmel invites all to this loving relationship through her Brown Scapular. See: Discalced Carmelite Friars, California-Arizona Brown Scapular.

SIDE ALTAR OF SAINT JOSEPH
In the sanctuary on the left side of the main altar is the side altar of St. Joseph. This beautiful marble statue of St. Joseph is above the tomb of our founder, Francis J. Sullivan, who died in 1930. On either side of the statue are the bas-relief images representing St. Francis and St. Agnes, patron saints of Mr. Sullivan and his daughter, Mother Agnes. St. Teresa was very devoted to St. Joseph and taught her daughters by proclaiming: “I don’t recall … ever having petitioned him for anything that he failed to grant”.

SAINT THERESE OF LISIEUX
Many years after Giacomo Mussner completed the Stations of the Cross, he was asked to carve from wood the statue of Saint Therese of Lisieux which stands in the niche on the right of the sanctuary. St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face was a young French girl who entered the Carmelite Monastery of Lisieux, France at the age of 15 in 1888. She lived a very heroic life and died of tuberculosis when she was just 24 years old. Her life in Carmel was very ordinary and hidden. Miracles of healing began to happen through her intercession almost immediately after her death. She was asked to write her autobiography, entitled the “Story of a Soul”. It is still in print. It was translated into many languages after her death. Her message is simple but challenging to live: do everything with love. She called it her “little way” of trust and love. Her teaching is so profound that the Catholic Church proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church, making her the 4th woman Doctor of the Church.

She is the co-patroness of our monastery with Our Lady of Grace. She is also called the “Little Flower”. She promised “to spend her Heaven doing good on earth” and she often sends roses in answer to prayers. We will have her relics here on October 24, 2025.

SIDE EXIT DOOR
Directly above the side exit door are the bas-relief figures of Saint Teresa of Jesus and Saint John of the Cross, in one of their famous dialogues, and the inscription is most appropriate: “Nostra conversatio in caelis est.” “Our conversation is in heaven.”

THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
The fourteen Stations of the Cross placed along the interior walls of the chapel were carved from wood by Giacomo Mussner of Ortisei, Italy, and were completed for the opening of our monastery chapel in 1931.

THE CRUCIFORM SCONCES
The candles in the black iron sconces along the walls signify that this is a consecrated Chapel—there are twelve candles, in honor of the twelve Apostles.

ARCHES AND COLUMNS ALONG THE SIDE AISLES OF THE CHAPEL
The arches along the side aisles are embellished with floral motifs in terra cotta. The rosa mystica and the fleur-de-lis so often associated with Our Lady can be seen in the designs. At the base of the arches, there are four circular emblems (two identical on alternate sides) inscribed with Greek letters. One of them is inscribed with the letters IC-XC, which translates to “Iesus Cristus” and NI-KA = one word, “Nika”, Greek for “conquers.”

The other emblem has the Greek inscriptions of Alpha and Omega and Chi-Rho. The Alpha and Omega express the confidence of Christians that God is infinite and eternal. In the book of Revelation 1:8, 21:6, and 22:13, Christ refers to himself as the alpha and the omega – that is, the first and the last. These two letters symbolize the fact that Christ is the beginning and the end of all creation. The letters X and P are often used as another symbols for Christ. The first two letters of Christ’s name in Greek are X and P. In Greek alphabet, X equals ‘CH’ pronounced as ‘Kye’ and P equals ‘R’ pronounced as Roe. Also known as the Chi-Rho cross, the letters are inscribed one over the other enclosed in a circle.

BISHOP JOHN BERNARD MacGINLEY’S TOMB
At the time that Bishop MacGinley personally welcomed the nuns to the monastery, he told them that he would ask only one favor from them: a place in the monastery where he could be buried. This room in the Chapel was set aside for him, so when he died in his 99th year, he was brought back to Carmel from Ireland, where he retired, and was laid to rest in a sun-lit tomb that may be seen at the rear of the Chapel.

CARMELITE RULE
Over the main doors, exiting from the Chapel, there is a representation of Pope Honorius III officially confirming the Carmelite rule, in 1226.

TE DEVM LAVDAMVS (ABOVE THE EXTERIOR SIDE DOOR OF THE CHAPEL)
The Te Deum is a prose Hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving to God. The phrase "Te Deum Laudamus" means "O God, we Praise You". It combines elements of prayer to God, including adoration, supplication, and thanksgiving. Traditionally, it is ascribed to St. Ambrose and dated before AD 500. It is often referred to as the Church’s official Hymn of Thanksgiving used in the liturgy. Many famous composers have set it to music. It was originally written on a Gregorian chant melody.

STELLA MATVTINA (ABOVE THE MAIN ENTRANCE DOOR THE MONASTERY)
Above the main entrance door to the monastery, a Latin inscription “Stella Matutina” is seen, which means “morning star.” In the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the morning star, which symbolizes hope, new beginnings and the dawn of a new day. The appearance of the morning star on a long dark night is interpreted as the eternal morning is about to dawn. In Second Peter 1:19, Jesus is referred to as “the day star” or “morning star.”

PAPAL AND BISHOP COAT OF ARMS (ON THE EXTERIOR WALL OF THE NORTH WING)
On the north wing facing west wall of the monastery, there are two Coats of Arms placed. The one on the left is the Coat of Arms of the Holy See, the official emblem of the Catholic Church. The second Coat of Arms represents the emblem for Bishop John Bernard MacGinley, who was the Bishop of Monterey- Fresno at the time of the foundation of the Carmelite Monastery and while in attendance in Rome for the Canonization of St. Therese of Lisieux in May of 1925, he petitioned the Pope to name the new Carmel after St. Therese.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE – ROSE GARDEN
Our Lady of Guadalupe: This mosaic represents the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared to St. Juan Diego, on his cloak, near Mexico City in 1531. The image has been miraculously preserved there for nearly five centuries. The words which she spoke to St. Juan Diego have been a source of comfort ever since: “Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear sickness, nor any other anguish. Am I not here, who am our mother? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within the fold of my mantle? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.” This mosaic was commissioned in memory of our long-time chaplain, Fr. Juan Oronoz, who died in 1986. It was created by the Carmel-by-the-Sea mosaic artist, Geza St. Gally. This Rose Garden offers a beautiful space for reflection and remembrance of deceased loved ones of our relatives and benefactors. Remains are not buried here.

THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
This marble statue shows Jesus pointing to his heart with his left hand while raising his right hand in blessing. “The heart of Christ, as the symbol of the deepest and most personal source of [God’s] love for us, is the very core of the initial preaching of the Gospel….” To continue reading the full text of Pope Francis beautiful letter on the human and divine love of Jesus Christ see the web site: Encyclical Letter, Dilexit Nos. This statue was donated by the Daughters of Charity when they departed their hospital ministries in 2014. It had stood at Saint Francis Medical Center, in Lynwood, California.

BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND CHILD
The marble statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Child at the entrance of the Monastery welcomes all visitors to prayerfully contemplate the peaceful and beautiful surrounding of this scared place. This statue was donated by the Daughters of Charity when they departed their hospital ministries in 2014. It had stood at Saint Francis Medical Center, in Lynwood, California.

MEDITATION GARDEN
Meditation Garden overlooking the Monastery Beach: Our visitors often use this site for their discernment, meditation and prayers.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA
This marble statue depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared to three shepherd children (Saint Jacinta, Saint Francisco, and Venerable Lucia) at Fatima, Portugal in 1917. Her message continues to offer hope: “Say the Rosary every day to bring peace to the world and the end of the war.” …. “Are you suffering a great deal? Don’t lose heart. I will never forsake you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.” For a full description of the apparitions see the web site: Catholic News Agency, Our Lady of Fatima, May 13 The statue, imported from Portugal, was a gift from George Ruhl and his sister, Mrs. Hattie Grimes. The abalone shell arch and supporting base were designed and constructed by George Ruhl, our gardener from the early days of our foundation who died in 1952.

THE LITTLE FLOWER IN THE GARDEN
Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face was a young French girl who entered the Carmelite Monastery of Lisieux, France at the age of 15 in 1888. She lived a very heroic life and died of tuberculosis when she was just 24 years old. Her life in Carmel was very ordinary and hidden. Miracles of healing began to happen through her intercession almost immediately after her death. She was asked to write her autobiography, entitled the “Story of a Soul”. It is still in print. It was translated into many languages after her death. Her message is simple but challenging to live: do everything with love. She called it her “little way” of trust and love. Her teaching is so profound that the Catholic Church proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church, making her the 4th woman Doctor of the Church. She is the co-patroness of our monastery with Our Lady of Grace. She is also called the “Little Flower”. She promised “to spend her Heaven doing good on earth” and she often sends roses in answer to prayers. We will have her relics here on October 24, 2025.