The Artist and the Apparition: Vanka’s Murals and the Cultural Value of Ghost Stories

American folklore is full of ghost stories—tales and legends passed down from generation to generation. As Maxo Vanka worked on the murals at St Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church, he once remarked to a friend that he saw something “terribly strange.” Vanka did not share his ghost story in public as it would be considered culturally taboo. In many different cultures, tales of ghosts are meant to remain unsaid. But, now Maxo Vanka’s ghost story is being shared with the Millvale community. In “The Artist and The Apparition,” you’ll learn the cultural role of ghost stories within immigrant communities, and how this ghost story is tied with the creation of Vanka’s 1937 murals. Join Vanka Murals Tour docent Timothy R. Grieve-Carlson, an assistant professor of Religion at Westminster College, for a special tour, The Artist and The Apparition, on October 29, 2026 from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm.