What's So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding

What's So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding is a 2024-2025 twelve-panel mural created by Adam Cvijanovic (b. 1960) in the narthex of St. Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue in New York City. It is the first major addition to the cathedral in 75 years and a celebration of immigrants. ^[1]

The Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan unveiled the mural in the cathedral on September 17, 2025. ^{[2] [3]} The mural is 25 feet high and streches across 1,920 square feet. ^[4]

The title of the work is borrowed from the Nick Lowe song famously covered by Elvis Costello of almost the same name, (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding . ^[5]

The visual passage at the nexus of the work is centered around the Apparition at Knock in Knock, Ireland in 1879, which is commemerated today by the Knock Shrine. ^[6]

Among the notable immigrants to the United States depicted in the mural are the Hatiam born hairdreser and Catholic philanthropist Pierre Toussaint, the Irish born Archbishop of New York and founder of what wiuld go on to become Fordham University John Hughes ^[7] , and Mother Frances Cabrini, the patron Saint of immigrants. ^{[8] [9]}

Also depicted is Dorothy Day co-founder of the Catholic Worker periodical and Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (aka Lily of the Mohawks), the first Native American Saint. ^{[10] [11]}

References

1. Farfan, Isa (September 18, 2025). "Sprawling Mural in Support of Immigrants Unveiled in St. Patrick's Cathedral".
2. Cassady, Daniel (September 22, 2025). "St. Patrick's Cathedral, America's Parish Church, Unveils 1,920 Square-Foot Mural by Adam Cvijanovic".
3. Schwankert, Steven (September 22, 2025). "New mural in St. Patrick's Cathedral celebrates New York's immigrant history".
4. "St. Patrick's Cathedral mural honors immigrants, first responders, N.Y. saints". Detroit Catholic.
5. Ratliff, Laura. "St. Patrick's Cathedral unveils its largest mural in 150 years, dedicated to NYC's immigrant communities".
6. "Irish immigrants, Apparition of Knock celebrated in new St. Patrick's Cathedral mural". IrishCentral.com. September 22, 2025.
7. "New Mural in NYC's St. Patrick's Cathedral Features Dorothy Day and the Stories of Immigrants – Catholic Worker Movement". catholicworker.org.
8. "New mural unveiled inside NYC's St. Patrick's Cathedral - CBS New York". www.cbsnews.com.
9. Times, The Haitian (September 22, 2025). "Haitian-born Pierre Toussaint, whose remains rest under St. Patrick's Cathedral, honored in immigrant mural".
10. "Mural unveiled at St. Patrick's Cathedral sends message on immigration". The Christian Century.
11. https://catholicfreepress.org/news/local-girl-resembling-saint-in-more-than-appearance-depicted-in-mural-at-st-patricks-cathedral-