The Secretary of the United States Merchant Marine, Sean Duffy, announced the restoration of the religious mural “Christ on the Water” (Christ on the Waters) at the Merchant Marine Academy, returning it to a place of honor after it had been relegated to a basement during the Biden administration and the previous leadership.
“Jesus Has Come Out of the Basement”
“Jesus has come out of the basement,” proclaimed Duffy on his official X account. “I promised to restore faith in the USMMA by returning the ‘Christ on the Waters’ mural to its place of prominence, where it belongs, after it was removed under Biden and my predecessor. God is good to these mariners: true faithful American patriots,” added the secretary, posing with a group of cadets in front of the recovered artwork.
History of the Mural
The painting, originally installed in the chapel of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, New York, depicts Christ walking on the sea, extending his hand toward sailors rowing in a boat. For years, it was considered a symbol of inspiration and spiritual protection for the academy’s cadets.
However, under the Biden administration and following pressures from secularist groups, the mural was removed from its central location and stored in a basement, with the argument that its presence could constitute a violation of “religious neutrality” in federal facilities.
A Celebrated Decision
The restoration has been received with enthusiasm by mariners and sectors that defend the presence of religious symbols in public spaces. For them, the mural’s return represents not only a gesture of faith but also an act of cultural affirmation in an institution historically marked by Christian tradition.
Duffy’s decision has been interpreted as a sign of the political and cultural shift in favor of the public visibility of Christian faith in the United States, especially in military and educational environments where tensions between religious symbols and secularist pressures have arisen for years.