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Together in Faith: The Pope Visits Catholic University

Papal Chair

Over 20 entries were submitted by students for the papal furnishings design contest between Jan. 18 and Jan. 23. Jurors selected by the archdiocese chose the model designed by John-Paul Mikolajczyk and Ryan Mullen, with assistance from Rachel Bailey and Victoria Engelstad, as the winning entry. It is currently with the Archdiocese of Washington, DC. Father O’Connell selected one of the other models as the basis for the chair used by Pope Benedict XVI when he gave his address on Catholic education in the Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center. This chair was designed by Javid Farazad, Christopher Fullam, Doug Pettit, and Siobhan Steen.

View images below relating to the papal furnishings contest.

Architecture students, Mullen and Mikolajczyk, with their winning entry in the papal design contest

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer

Architecture students, Mikolajczyk and Mullen, during the construction of the papal chair

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer

Architecture students, Fullam, Steen, Pettit, and Farazad, with their model of the chair used by Pope Benedict XVI during his speech at CUA

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer

Preliminary architectural drawings of papal chair created by Farazad, Fullam, Pettit, and Steen

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer

Architectural drawing of papal chair created by Farazad, Fullam, Pettit, and Steen

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer

Architectural model of papal chair created by Farazad, Fullam, Pettit, and Steen

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer

Larger architectural model of papal chair created by Farazad, Fullam, Pettit, and Steen

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer

Moving company staffers carefully unloading the completed papal chair at the Pryzbyla Center

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer

CUA’s student designers gather around the papal chair with the volunteers from Jefferson Millwork who helped build the chair. Also included in the picture is CUA President Father O’Connell (far right, standing)>

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer

CUA’s student designers gather around the papal chair with the volunteers from Jefferson Millwork who helped build the chair. Also included in the picture is Architecture Dean Randall Ott (far left), CUA President Father O’Connell (far right, standing), and the students’ faculty advisor, Visiting Assistant Professor Matthew Geiss (far right, kneeling)

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer

Pope Benedict XVI sitting in the chair designed by Farazad, Fullam, Pettit, and Steen during his speech on Catholic education in the Pryzbyla Center on April 17, 2008

Photograph taken by Anthony Fiorini, University Photographer