Jesus Has Risen At The Merchant Marine Academy

When sailors drift in turbulent seas and pray for rescue, there’s only one man who can save them. Two years ago, an anonymous student’s crusade for political correctness forced the United States Merchant Marine Academy to stuff him beneath the pavement.

For 80 years, the historic “Christ on the Water” painting has reminded students of their ultimate protector as they train for perilous endeavors. The depiction of Jesus suddenly appearing before lost sailors was an iconic hallmark of faith, service, and salvation in the face of rough waters ahead. But in 2023, the painting was desecrated by leftist cancellation when Jesus was shoved underground from a place of dignity and down to a basement. This week, I’m proud to announce Christ has risen on the Kings Point campus.

On my first visit with students as Transportation Secretary, I heard firsthand how important the painting is to students at the Academy. I also listened to students’ frustrations about how the Academy’s impulse to fold under one student’s condemnation was an insult to the Christian faith, the legacy of this storied military institution, and our American heritage. I was so inspired by the students’ passion for this painting that in April, I ordered its rehabilitation and even installed a replica of the image in my Washington, D.C., office shortly after.

On Monday, after a month-long process, the project was completed with an unveiling of the artwork in its original placement.

Jesus is out of the basement!

I promised you I would restore faith at @UsmmaO by returning “Christ on the Water” to its place of prominence, where it belongs after being taken down under Biden and my predecessor.

God is good for these Mariners – true FAITHFUL American… pic.twitter.com/99ddlMnyDr

— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) September 30, 2025

“Christ on the Water” has been a powerful mural for students and alumni around the world for nearly a century. Simply moving the artwork back to Wiley Hall was not enough to honor a masterpiece this important. That’s why I demanded the artwork undergo a complete restoration.

After the previous administration shrank the painting to fit the basement, we opened the canvas back up and reinforced the original stretcher to make this piece stronger than ever. We fixed the scratches, created a new plaque, and manufactured new hardware to refinish the decorative frame. The presentation of Jesus hovering over sailors in Wiley Hall hangs again as a beacon of salvation to the brave men and women across our oceans.

Freedom of religion is a right that we celebrate, not one we censor. At our military academies, faith is a virtue young patriots rely on. After all, faith kept mariners vigilant against U-boat assaults in the icy Atlantic during WWII and most recently against Houthi rocket attacks in the Red Sea.

Now more than ever, young Americans lean on their faith to find inspiration, stay the course, and find meaning in service. The stunning display of religious fervor at Charlie Kirk’s memorial was an inspiring reminder that our nation is on the cusp of a spiritual revival. I left the tribute to a true Christian martyr, hopeful that the dark days of forcing any faith underground have reached a turning point. It’s time America restores the time-honored tradition of faith and service exemplified by “Christ on the Water” and the students of the Merchant Marine Academy.

Sean Duffy is the United States Secretary of Transportation.