Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was one of the most significant artists of the 20th century. He was born and raised in a devout Byzantine Catholic family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but most of his life was far from a model of Catholic sanctity. He became a leader and innovator of pop art, and drew his subject matter from the celebrity idols and crass commercialism of his day. He was a fixture of the high end social scene of 60s and 70s New York, and his style influenced countless other artists. But very few knew how important Catholicism really remained in his life. He went to Church regularly, prayed often, and paid for a nephew to go to seminary. After his death at 58 in 1987, he received a Catholic funeral and was buried near his parents. His estate carries on and preserves his work in the Andy Warhol Foundation and Museum, based in Pittsburgh.