04 September 2014

30 Words :: Stained Glass


The light
hits just right
making this glass wall
glow.
Intricate details
meticulously applied,
each one
telling a story.
These windows are the
personality
and
soul
of this revered space.

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A few more than 30 Words...
My grandfather, Victor Prais, was a successful local businessman. He owned a funeral parlor/furniture store as well as the Prais Religious Goods store, where locals bought their holy cards, rosaries, vigil candles and opłatki. It is not uncommon in our area to find his name on religious items, etched in brass candelabras used on the altar, hanging on a plaque as a founding member or here, on a beautiful piece of stained glass at St Stanislaw's Church. (Our family name is even on the street outside this particular church, where he and his family were active members.) Our parish, Newman University Parish, is now merging with this neighboring church and so I will be seeing a lot more of this beautiful window. I am finding it hard to find my place in this new building. But I smile when I recall the Christmas masses there with my grandma dressed in her fur coat and hat. I never knew my grandfather, but it feels like it coming full circle. Change is hard, but having this reminder of the continuity of my family name will help me weather the coming transition.


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The premise of 30 Words Thursdays is simple...
Take an image (preferably one you shot, or have permission to use).
Write 30 Words about it. No more. No less.
Post it each Thursday.
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(InLinkz code will be open for one week.)
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4 comments:

Alice said...

Beautiful stained glass! I often get distracted by the stained glass windows in our church when I should be listening to the sermon.

Kim Stevens said...

I love stained glass windows. There is a church in Galveston that has a couple of Tiffany glass windows. One broke when hurricane Ike hit about 6-7 years ago. They swept up the pieces and sent it to somewhere in Minnesota and it took nearly two years to restore it, but you would never know. I miss the old stained glass windows - our church is pretty new.

Drtanglebones said...

I love the personal connection in this!

Todd said...

Very nice....and ditto on Alice's comment!

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