Priest called ‘Michelangelo of the Midwest’ for elaborate church paintings

HOMER GLEN, Ill. — Torn between his passion for art and a calling to the priesthood, a south suburban pastor found a way to combine them both.

Father Thomas Loya is pastor at Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church believes going into a church is like "entering into heaven on Earth." His church is no exception, where the walls are covered in ornate iconography.

"We try to make it as glorious as possible, from floor to ceiling, every square inch is transmitting our faith," Loya said. "When I look at it all, I can’t quite believe that I did it all.”

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