Good stained glass windows - the way they filter the light, its colors, the choice of the motifs - all that co-create sacral space. We are aware of this when we create stained glass windows for church interiors in our Studio. Our offer includes preparation of art projects and consultations - both artistic and technical. We also consult the theological program of windows.
Theological program for the sacral stained glass
What is expected of a church interior is to have this unique sacral spirit. That means the ambiance that represents the peace and order, the same that finds its expression in the liturgy celebrated in the church. The final reception of the interior is a resultant of many factors. It's a matter of architecture, spatial layout, equipment, decorations, lighting and even acoustics. In a well-organized church interior, all these elements should interact with each other. Stained glass windows in this environment have a triple function - they are a source of light (in the day), they are a decorative element, and finally they carry theological message.
This last factor can be realized in various ways - after all, light itself is an important symbol. So even an abstract window can carry a deeper message by empasizing the spiritual "soul" of the building. However, if the stained glass is meant to carry somehow more direct and literal message, there will be the need to integrate the whole stained glass project into one coherent program and create a consisten theological concept.
When we compare the old stained glass windows with the modern ones, we can clearly notice the difference between them. The historical windows eg. gothic contain always a deep theological layer, they describe the whole universe of faith - from the depictions of God, through biblical scenes and characters, as well as numerous saints and the images of the sanctified work of everyday life of believers of the Church. Of course, sometimes such wide theological studies also can be found in some comtemporary stained-glass windows. However, randomness prevails - the most common idea is to commemorate some current events from the life of the Church, or a saint, especially close to the founder. We can meet stained-glass variants of holy paintings whose painted copies are located next to them. Often on the altar there is a saint patron, while the most important topics are shifted to the side windows.
Such situations are the result of confusion, but what is worse they are also causing the confusion and chaos. Conscious of this, we strive to make our stained glass windows according to a coherent theological program, that would take into account the hierarchy of importance of topics and the specificity of the temple. While preparing such a theological program, we are supported by the highest-ranking specialists - x. Dr. Janusz Nowiński SDB and our mentor Teresa Maria Reklewska.
