STAINED GLASS WINDOWS AND FAITH

Last week I had the opportunity to visit Ste. Chapelle and the Conciergerie with a group from the ACWO. It was a guided tour which always adds to the experience because you get a glimpse into both the artistic and historical significance.

Ste. Chapelle was built in the 13 th. century by St. Louis, King of France. He had purchased relics of the True Cross and the Crown of Thorns and wanted a fitting place to display them for himself and the nobles of his court. It took only five years to build.

Today, the relics are kept elsewhere but are venerated at Notre Dame Cathedral on special occasions. What is remarkable about this Chapel is the stained glass windows. It is almost as if the whole chapel is made up of them. They stretch high up, to the point that it is hard to see the details of the higher window panes. The day was a bit cloudy so the light streaming through them was not a brilliant as it could have been but there was no denying the beauty of them. They are what the chapel is all about today.

The windows recount the History of Salvation from Genesis to the Book of Revelation. When I saw them, I was reminded of something I learned a long time ago about windows in churches and their significance for the people of long ago. They were not simply created for their beauty. They had another purpose: they were a teaching tool.

Very few people in olden days had the ability to read or write. They could not even read the simplest of catechisms to learn of the faith that we theirs. And so, windows in churches displayed events from the Old and New Testaments and were used as a visual aid for the people while the priests or teacher would explain the meaning of these events in the life of the Christian Faith.

Today, we look upon these kinds of stained glass windows as an expression of beauty and the craftsmanship used to create them. We no longer need them as teaching tools. We learn about our faith in other ways, including our ability to read the Bible and other books that deal with Faith.

But, the original purpose of religious art, whether it be stained glass or paintings or statues can still play a role in our faith life. When we gaze upon these religious symbols, let’s not only look at their beauty but let’s reflect about the message they convey.

Even though we do not have stained glass windows in St. Joseph’s like we find in Ste. Chapelle, we do have some religious art. For example, the Baptism of Jesus could be a reminder of our own baptismal commitment.