Presented by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Oct. 14, 9 a.m., KITV TV 4 ABC, Honolulu

What does it take to build a cathedral today in a major metropolitan city? "Divining the Human" explores the answer through the building of LA’s Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and most specifically the creation of the tapestries that grace the interior.

The 37 individual works range in height from 15 to 45 feet. To render these massive tapestries, artist John Nava integrated 21st century technology with centuries-old artistic tradition.

The film follows the California artist and his creative process. Nava’s work consists of a series of tapestries: one, the “Communion of Saints,” depicting 136 Catholic saints which hangs in the nave of the cathedral; another, “The Baptism of the Lord,” depicting John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the River Jordan; and the third, “The Holy City,” which hangs behind the altar.

The documentary addresses universal spiritual and humanistic themes. Nava had to abandon the original idea of incising the images into the nave walls. He then set out to develop tapestries that would challenge his talents and those of the weavers in Bruges, Belgium. The finished tapestries currently hang in the cathedral, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this September.

This compelling documentary shows the creation of art that now enhances the cathedral’s themes of spiritual unity and ethnic diversity.