Stained glass is often used in settings like funeral homes and mausoleums due to its calming effect. Watching the sunlight sift through the glass and illuminate the colors can be very peaceful. Light is associated with the divine and its presence can be reassuring and instill a sense of hope. This is why when the Rose Hills Memorial Chapel started to notice issues with their Dalle Glass, they immediately became concerned. They contacted our team and requested our help. Below, we’ve shared the story of this stained glass restoration project so that Salt Lake City churches can gain a better understanding of the methods involved as well as the benefits.
If you’ve ever studied church stained glass windows carefully, you’ve probably noticed a wide variety of symbols in different areas. This is quite typical for religious stained glass windows. Iconography was frequently used to convey essential narratives to church congregations. Some symbols, crosses, for example, have a readily identifiable meaning. However, there are times when icons don’t have as obvious of a meaning. Below are some of our favorite religious stained glass icons and their meanings.
Church Stained Glass Iconography
A Dove: It is a sacred symbol of the Holy Spirit.
A Dove and Rainbow: The dove and the rainbow symbolize endings, and they signify forgiveness.
A Chalice with Grapes: The Lamb is the most common sign for Holy Communion. The Lamb of God is depicted lying on the Book of Seven Seals in Revelation, and since became the sacrificial lamb.
Messianic Rose: The Messianic Rose is a well-known Christian symbol that represents the promised Messiah. At the advent of the kingdom of justice, Isaiah prophesied, “The desert will blossom as a rose.”
The Lion: The tribe of Judah is represented by this figure, which depicts the qualities of strength, valor, and compassion.
Fish: The Greek fish is a symbol for Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It derives from being a covert sign in ancient days when it was dangerous to be a Christian.
Anchor: This is one of the most ancient symbols of Jesus Christ, dating back to the catacombs.
Dragon:The dragon is a symbol of evil and temptation. It’s also a sign of sin.
Leaf and Acorn: The acorn is a rare symbol that represents the growth of faith from tiny like a seed to vast as a tree.
Butterfly: It is a beautiful image that symbolizes rebirth and everlasting life.
For church-goers and stained glass lovers alike, churches can be a wonderful place to see breathtaking stained glass windows. Churches all over the world have been utilizing stained glass to show important biblical teachings and figures along with significant world events. When observing all the different church stained glass features, have you noticed different themes in color? That’s because there’s actually an intended symbolism behind all the colors used in church stained glass.
The Symbolism of Color in Church Stained Glass
Churches have been utilizing these universal messages through the colors showcased in their stained glass:
Red: Representative of Christ’s blood, red can indicate strong emotions as well as the suffering and sacrifice made by Jesus.
Green: The color of nature signifies rebirth, growth, and spring. It can also represent faith, contemplation, and immortality.
Black: Black is rare as the focus color but refers to death or regeneration.
Purple: Since Jesus wore purple before his crucifixion, this color often signifies his endurance and suffering. It can also be used to symbolize royalty and God the Father.
Brown: Symbolizes the renunciation of worldly things and spiritual death.
Blue: As the color of the sky, blue depicts hope, heaven, piety, and sincerity.
Violet: Represents truth, passion, love, and suffering.
White: Depicts innocence, chastity, purity, and God.
Yellow: While yellow can be used to showcase treachery, it’s more commonly used to represent the halos of saints, power, glory, and divinity.
Gray: This symbolizes mourning, humility, and the immortality of spirit.
Rainbow: The union as well as God’s covenant with humanity.
Work with Salt Lake City’s Best Church Stained Glass Studio
Salt Lake City Stained Glass is honored to be the best church stained glass studio serving the Utah area. For more information regarding custom religious stained glass for your Salt Lake City church, please contact us!
Stained Glass Is Very Strong But Older Glass Still Needs Restoration
Stained glass is an extremely durable material, made up of glass tinted with paints, pigments, and dyes. This means it is the perfect medium for adorning churches and to give it an ethereal feel. However, simply because stained glass is durable, does not mean it never needs to be restored. The truth is, church stained glass windows should be repaired or restored every 80-100 years. If your church houses stained glass and you wonder if it may soon need repair, we can help you decide with our guide below. Read on to find out the surefire signs of disrepair to look for on your chapel’s stained glass and how you can keep it looking lovely and intact for your congregation for the next generation.
Gaps In Your Church’s Stained Glass Window That Show Daylight
An obvious sign it is time to have a restoration done on your Salt Lake City church stained glass are gaps of visible light through the frame, leading or glass pieces. Whether large or small they must be addressed because the reason these gaps appear is that the lead is stretched and structurally unsound. So, the surrounding glass panels are no longer held securely in place. The possibility of a piece of glass falling out of the window is likely and stained glass professional should be brought in to take a look.
Buckling, Bowing And Sagging Of Your Church’s Stained Glass
If the stained glass windows in your church are buckling, bowing, bulging or sagging, your windows are at risk of collapsing. This, of course, is a worst case scenario but not unheard of. Any falling glass is bad glass and if it falls onto parishioners could easily harm them. This type of damage is not from the glass decaying but rather the wood frame, expanding and contracting over time. This type of movement causes the frame to lose strength as well as taking a big toll on the lead causing it to lose strength as well. This is an issue that needs to be repaired soon to immediately by a professional.
Chips And Cracks In Your Church’s Stained Glass
The most common repair to church stained glass windows (and the least “dangerous”) are to chips and cracks in the glass. It is a fix that is not pressing but rather, affects the beauty and luster of your church’s stained glass. Keep in mind that cracks could also be indicators of “stress zones” in the glass–pointing to a failing frame. So, if you notice cracks getting bigger or increasingly popping up, contact a professional stained glass repair company like us at Salt Lake City Stained Glass.
Stained glass is something which is undoubtedly deemed to be a masterpiece in itself. Regardless of the way it is designed or where you find it, it’s bound to capture your attention and leave you in awe.
The art of glass making has been practiced for hundreds of years. While all stained glass windows are beautiful and can be appreciated, there are some that have left a greater impression than others. Artisans have painstakingly worked to create highly intricate and complex stained glass works. Today, many of these pieces are considered to be masterpieces by the art community.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most beautiful and famous stained glass masterpieces located around the world.
Stained glass windows are a unique art form that elevate the beauty in our churches and cathedrals across the globe. They take our breath away and strike awe into our hearts, making even the most unholy of us pause for a moment and recognize the divine. Stained glass lovers will want to add the following churches to their bucket lists and start planning their trips to these sites of the some of the world’s best church stained glass.
Chartres Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, is a Roman Catholic church in Chartres, France. This gorgeous church was built to accommodate 176 stained glass windows, which illuminate the interior with colorful beams of light. One of the most famous stained glass windows in the world is in Chartres Cathedral, the glorious rose window depicting the birth of Christ.
Another church not to be missed for its stained glass windows is York Minster, one of the most spectacular and largest of all European cathedrals. Located in York, England, York Minster is home to the Great East Window (finished in 1408), the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world. Its apocalyptic scene was designed by John Thornton. There is also a heart-shaped design affectionately known as The Heart of Yorkshire. Make sure you add York Minster to your list for the greatest church stained glass.
Salt Lake City Church Stained Glass
Salt Lake City is another city that tourists and locals alike recognize for its religious architecture, a huge part of which is stained glass windows. Salt Lake City Stained Glass, the local branch of Scottish Stained Glass, has been proudly serving Salt Lake City and all of central Utah with quality church stained glass for nearly 25 years. Contact us for all your religious, residential, and commercial stained glass needs, whether it’s conceptual design, repair, or restoration.
From Old West roots to the mining boom and the town’s military partnership, Tooele is in touch with its history. It’s no wonder, then, that its historic churches feature beautiful stained glass, a long-lasting art form going back centuries. In local Tooele churches, spiritual stained glass images inspire congregations. Restoration is one essential method of preserving your church’s stained glass for years to come, offering spiritual inspiration to church attendees for upwards of a century. But how can you tell when your church’s stained glass needs revitalization?
Have you noticed any bulging or sagging glass pieces in your religious stained glass windows? Many of the antique stained glass panels housed in Salt Lake City Temples are beginning to reveal signs of deterioration. With concave and convex shaped bulging glass to entire pieces missing, the only solution for proper preservation is stained glass restoration. Continue Reading
