A Powerful New Theme for Catholic Websites

Introducing the latest free theme from eCatholic: Baritus

What if your website could proclaim your Catholic identity the moment it’s opened?

Discover Baritus: a free, richly detailed website theme that brings sacred art to life online.

Created through a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Baritus Catholic Illustration (the studio of artist Chris Lewis), this design doesn’t just state your mission — it cries out with it.

A Design Inspired by Sacred Art, Built for Today’s Catholic Organizations

Named after Baritus Catholic Illustration, this theme celebrates craftsmanship, color, and Catholic identity. The illustrations that grace the design — from a Monstrance to the Sacred Heart — were custom-designed by Chris Lewis for eCatholic.

They were then brought into this free theme through the lens of modern, mobile-friendly web design — but their origin goes deeper. Chris Lewis, the artist behind Baritus Catholic Illustration, has built a vibrant apostolate centered on sacred art as a tool for evangelization. His illustrations appear on everything from holy cards and apparel to large-format church prints, and his mission closely aligns with ours: to help Catholic communities share their faith with beauty and intention.

Want to hear more about how this collaboration came to life?

Check out our conversation with Chris on The Engaged Parish podcast, where we explore the connection between beauty, belonging, and digital evangelization.

This partnership is a fresh step in our ongoing efforts to offer beautiful, flexible, and distinctly Catholic free themes. Like Eden, Sinai, and Tabor, the Baritus theme doesn’t reserve faith for the margins or the content alone — it’s woven directly into the layout. 

Baritus resounds with detail, texture, color, and beauty, giving your visitors an unmistakable first impression of your mission and purpose.

Visual Brilliance, Thoughtfully Built

Like all our free themes, Baritus comes with a set of unique design features. Each element supports both form and function, making it as powerful behind the scenes as it is at first glance.

1

Sacred Illustrations, Color Schemes, & Custom Overlays

While in the Design Studio, you can select from four pre-set color schemes, or you can apply your brand’s custom colors over the artwork using our intuitive Color Settings — allowing you to personalize your site’s palette while retaining the richness of the original illustrations. 

When setting up each section on the site in Edit mode, choose from a library of sacred backgrounds featuring Jesus, Mary and Baby Jesus, the Lamb of God, a Monstrance, and more.

2

Adaptive Header plus Distinctive Modules & Sections

Baritus features a responsive header that adjusts automatically when a logo is present and includes an optional custom text field for a short message or call-to-action. The News section displays items horizontally with ample space for preview text, and the Forms module includes transparent fields for a clean, modern feel. A semi-transparent background on the Tabs sections adds an elegant dimension to your selected background styling.

3

Artful Details in Headlines, Quotes, & Buttons

From stylized block quotes to visual placeholders, even the smallest design elements are infused with reverence. Headline sections can stand alone without custom imagery thanks to built-in sacred art and an adaptive layout that responds seamlessly to your content. Text alignment options automatically reposition the illustration — left, right, or centered — while the artwork itself resizes to match your selected field height without stretching or distortion. Button placeholders round out the visual language, reinforcing your message with both clarity and beauty.

Thinking Baritus might be right for you? Let's make it happen.

This theme was created for Catholic parishes, dioceses, ministries, and apostolates that want their websites to be unmistakably Catholic — not just in message, but in design.

Baritus doesn’t blend in. It heralds your identity with sacred imagery and striking design. It’s ideal for communities looking to strengthen their brand, revamp their online presence, or launch something new — all while enveloping their site in visual theology.

It’s available now in the eCatholic Design Studio: free to use, easy to apply, and ready to launch in just a few clicks.

If you're looking for more, like a true refresh, with strategy and polish, our team can help! The Homepage Makeover PLUS is a fast-track service that brings together your content, message, and a new theme for a striking, focused homepage and revamped interior pages.