 Catholic Church Wrentham, Massachusetts |
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Catholic Church Wrentham, Massachusetts |
Virgin Mary |
If we could stare into the pure white light of the living sun we might yet find truth or God - but we would be blinded.
That's why we have religion, philosophy - and stained glass. Stained glass admits the absolute essence of light, but like ourselves, changes, alters, patterns it to a substance that we can live with. And just as we do, colors the truth to make it bearable. |
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Stained glass is an excellent way to confront God. Medieval architects knew that.
They flung up tons of rock to make their great cathedrals yearn to heaven in order to
impress both man and God. But so that they would not be mere leviathans of bleak rock,
they had their finest craftsmen chisel the granite into filigree to make it seem as
fragile and finite as the humanity that would worship within.
Even so, they couldn't give their great cathedrals the color and warmth to make such majesty bearable. Stone seemed immortal enough, but it was cold to both the mind and soul. The finest cathedral would seem only a vast vertical tomb, if not for the living touch of stained glass. |
Sacred Heart of Jesus |
St. Joseph |
Everywhere, high over the heads of the worshippers, then: windows. Windows that take
the light and transmute it - all the colors of the earth made radiant as the promise
of Heaven itself. Rose, for the living blush on human cheeks as well for as the solace
of spring flowers.
Yellow, for the sun, green as the sweet grass, red as mortal blood, blue as the sea, all human colors soothing the eternal light, shaping it into summer life even in the bleakest winter, ever changing as the sun spun round the hours of the day. |
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Change, color, life. Perfect. Stained glass to ornament eternal stone.
Life and immortality - the very soul of God. Stained glass silently speaks: Here is Awe. And Here is Joy.  Edith Layton Felber
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