Theme Thursday: Church Windows

Of all the themes to "cheat" on, I don't think that one which is specifically religious is the one to choose, but oh well. I, alas, don't have any first-hand pictures of the windows from our parish (and I didn't know to bring the camera when I was there this morning), but I have LOADS of pictures of windows from various churches that my husband and I visited while we were in Europe.

Let me say, they know how to do these things over there. Luckily our parish has some beautiful windows, but I grew up around so many horrible examples of modern church art that these just make my soul happy.

I also love remembering that these were created in an age when most people were illiterate, and so the windows in these great cathedrals were essentially the common man's education on the saints and the history of our faith. How beautiful and uplifting!

Bath Abbey - Bath, England

Notre Dame de Paris- Paris, France

Chartres Cathedral - Chartres, France

Chartres Cathedral - Chartres, France

I include the one above because, even though you can't really see the windows, this is a shot down the nave of the church, and they're in the midst of restoring the whole interior. As you can see, they've already cleaned and repainted the stone at the far end around the choir and main altar - I can't wait to see what it will look like when the entire church is done! While I love the dark melancholy of Gothic cathedrals, this church is dedicated to Our Lady, with a relic of her veil enshrined there, and I think it is fitting and beautiful to have it brightened in its restoration process.

Chartres Cathedral

 This is of the famous Blue Virgin window at Chartres.

A rose window at Chartres.

Go see some more over at Clan Donaldson!