Midshipmen at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, New York were roaring with applause during a speech by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Duffy made an appearance at USMMA on April 3 and spoke during the annual Battle Standard Dinner, when he brought up a painting of Jesus that had been removed from the main floor of the building. It had originally been covered up with a white curtain after the USMMA received a complaint letter from  Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, founder of the The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) stating he had received complaints about the painting’s religious nature.

The painting is entitled “Christ on Water” and was painted in 1947 by Hunter Wood, a merchant mariner himself. The paining had first been placed in a basic training school chapel in California before being moved to the USMMA in New York. The room it had resided in was a chapel until 1961. Weinstein’s complaint against the painting noted that other meetings were held in the room, thus meaning the room was not strictly religious in nature. After being covered up with a curtain for some time, the painting was eventually moved to the building’s flood-prone basement.

Duffy addressed the controversy during his speech and demanded the painting be brought back upstairs. “Can we bring Jesus up from the basement? Let’s not put Jesus in the basement! Let’s get him out! Let’s bring him up!” said Duffy, a devout Catholic. His suggestion was met with prolonged applause, leading Duffy to add, “You want Jesus up from the basement? All right, great!” He also remarked, “That was the loudest applause we got.”

Two midshipman, speaking under the condition of anonymity, told The Christian Post what the painting means to them. One said he had received comfort from the painting’s presence, praying under it during times he was worried about failing. “I remember many times when I used to pray underneath that painting when I was on the verge of failing a class, or I had big tests or I was worried about something. I’ve prayed underneath that painting when it used to be in Wiley Hall,” he said. “So to me, it’s a very significant, important painting, and I think it’s an important part of the school’s history.” Another midshipman said the painting inspired the Honor Board meetings held in the room while students would consider possible violations of the school’s honor code. “And people would look up to that painting and say, ‘Everything’s going to be all right. Jesus is looking after me, just like He’s looking after these sailors who are washed up on a boat somewhere in the middle of the ocean.'”