Glass is one of the oldest artistic materials. Since medieval times, the art of stained-glass windows in churches and cathedrals has served to decorate, educate, inspire awe and offer honor and glory to God. And the churches of Jacksonville are replete with examples of this ancient art form.
Light reflects divinity
Abbott Suger of St. Denis is called the “Father of Stained Glass” since it was his concept, based on scripture, that light reflects divinity. Over the centuries, decorative art has been created for instruction, storytelling and to depict Biblical symbolism that can be understood at a glance, a concept known as the “poor man’s Bible.” The windows illuminated dim interiors when no inward source was available, both physically and metaphorically. The marriage of stone and glass in highly ornamented pointed arched windows is a distinguishing characteristic of Gothic architecture, and the symbolism often embodies universal concepts, such as Jesus being portrayed as a shepherd.
To create such works, translucent glass, colored by sand and minerals, is fired in a furnace and then assembled puzzle-like to create patterns and designs. Tracery (ornate stonework) and mullions (decorative stone bars) can be simple or highly complex; these offer beauty and stability to complex designs. Inconsistencies in the glass due to variations in thickness can enhance the luminous and translucent quality.
Jacksonville treasures
Ortega Church’s 16 stained glass windows glow with sunlight streaming through the handmade Murano glass created by master artist Anzolo Fuga of Italy using techniques from his family legacy of distinguished glass blowers and artisans. The first and central window, The Last Supper, was commissioned by church members Virginia and Umberto Pezzulla for the sanctuary and arrived in Jacksonville via Italian freighter in December 1961. The last of the 16 windows depicting the Life of Christ was installed in 1975.
More than 30 windows at The Church of the Good Shepherd in Riverside, meanwhile, depict scenes from the Old Testament through the life of Christ. They were designed by parish member and architect Mellen Clark Greeley, with Corbusier, Lenski and Foster of Cleveland, Ohio, in the Gothic Revival style. Wooden relief carvings by Lang of Germany are integral throughout the architecture, as well as hand-carved limestone and a frieze with a vine of grapes representing Jesus as the “true vine and his followers as the branches.” Signs and symbols abound even in the handmade floor tiles based on centuries-old designs.
Architects Mark & Sheftall made their presence known throughout Jacksonville with schools, apartments, and the Gothic Revival designs of Riverside Presbyterian Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Riverside. The rose window at Trinity has ornate stone trefoil embellishments, while Riverside Presbyterian’s 42 windows, installed in the 1940s, were designed by the esteemed Willet Stained Glass Studios in Philadelphia. “The Passion Window,” designed for the chancel, was installed in 1943 and “The Children’s Window” in 1948. Each magnificent window presents Christ-centered visuals or great figures of Christian theology.
Willet Studios also created the 42 windows in Avondale United Methodist Church – another Sheftall design – as well as the 14 windows of Riverside Park United Methodist Church, some of which depict the life and contributions of John Wesley. The stunning works include the magnificent “Ascension Window” and the unique, three-dimensional, John Barrymore-designed window called “Alpha and Omega.”
Riverside Avenue Christian Church has retained most of the Gothic elements from Marsh and Saxelby’s 1922 design, which is enhanced with painted and fired windows designed by Roy Comber and artist Richard Millard of New York.
Ships – a common symbol representative of St. Paul for his travels to spread the gospel – are found in all denominations, but particularly in St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Riverside. The 1940 church, with windows by Rambush Studios, is well known for its art and has numerous sculptures and murals throughout.
The 1922-era windows of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Ortega are treasured features of the church. The Great Commission rose window reminds parishioners to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.” The glowing, circular-shaped rose window of Murray Hill Baptist Church symbolizes Christ as the sun, “the way, the truth and the light.”
In juxtaposition with its Gothic neighboring churches, Riverside Baptist Church’swindows are subtle, with panes of blue and yellow promoting a sense of peace and awe throughout the massive sanctuary. Two rose windows on facing sides bring light into the cavernous space, designed to lift spirits upward and promote majesty. Detailed carvings, imported 16th-century floor tiles, spindle-backed benches and outside gargoyles give the Addison Mizner-designed church a distinctive aura.
Throughout the historic districts, one can experience what Church of the Good Shepherd states as: “Man’s art and craft…man’s devotion and God’s light become God’s radiance of glory.”
