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statue in marble of our Saviour, placed in a niche
at the back of the altar, by which, however, the
effect is considerably diminished. On the pedestal
is a quotation from St. Mat. XI. 28. In the centre
of the chancel, before the altar, is the Font of
polished marble — a
con ch a
held by a kneeling
angel — a chaste, poetic, beautiful design.
The first child baptized at this font was one
of Professor Bissen's, himself a pupil of Thorvaldsen
who stood sponsor; the King and Queen honoring
the ceremony with their presence.
The magnificent marble statues of the twelve
Apostles adorn both sides of the church. The large
b a s r e lic f
in. the semicircular recess behind the altar
represents our Saviour on his way to Golgatha;
and in the confessionals on each side of the chancel
are two more
b a sre lic fs
descriptive of the Saviour’s
Baptism and the Last Supper.
On either side of the entrance of the church
is a beautiful
b a s r e l i c f
the one on the right repre
senting Childhood’s Guardian Angel, the one on
the left Christian Charity.
Thus by Thorvaldsens grand productions the
mind receives a reverential impression which the
building itself fails to effect.
It is said that the architect of the church,
who, it would appear, looked with no friendly eye
on the great sculptor, had prepared niches in the