Our stunning windows have drawn visitors to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels for 100 years. Installed in 1919, they were crafted by the Daprato Statuary Company in Chicago which employed immigrant glass artisans from Europe. That particular glass studio opened in 1917, producing the style of window virtually unavailable during World War I as such windows were commonly imported from Germany and Austria where this style was developed.

Munich Style Windows are not stained glass.

How are they made? 

The religious scenes are painted on large sheets of clear glass and then fused to the glass through firing in intense heat. This allows for a blending of colors not attainable by the old medieval style of “stained glass” in which a separate piece of colored glass had to be cut to size and fitted in its own leaded framework. In Munich style windows, the leaded seams do not interrupt or intrude upon the scene portrayed but are camouflaged by the design in a way that makes the seams hardly noticeable. This window style also allows for extremely detailed depictions of the subjects. The scenes depicted are heavily influenced by the emotion and sentimentality of the 19th century European Romantic style of painting common in Gothic Revival churches like St. Mary of the Angels.

Our 33 magnificent Munich-style windows depict the life of Jesus in relation to the life of his mother, Mary.

The Secret to Reading our Windows

They correspond with one another across the aisle from east to west. Starting with the giant 16’ x 20’ transept windows, we see the east’s Nativity and Adoration of the Magi (Jesus comes to earth in the flesh). This is paired with the west transept window directly across from it which contains the Assumption and Coronation of Mary (Mary in the flesh is taken up into Heaven). So, subject of the east windows (Jesus) corresponds with the subject of the west windows (Mary).

The nave windows (each 8’ x 16’) are described in the following order, east (Jesus) and then west (Mary):

• Mary presents Jesus in the Temple; Mary presented in the Temple by Joachim and Ann.
• Mary finds Her Child in the Temple; Mary as child in Temple shows her work to the High Priest.
• Mary at the Wedding Feast of Cana with Jesus; The Espousals of Mary and Joseph.
• Mary meets Her Son carrying His Cross; Mary sees Her Child making the Cross.
• Mary accepts Jesus’ body upon his death; Jesus accepts his mother’s body upon her death.

The most important window is the front window set high in the organ room. While it is overlooking W. Henley Street, it is set to be viewed from the inside so that it appears in all its glory to the congregation exiting the church. This is the Crucifixion, the moment of our salvation.

Our window themes were developed by Rev. Thomas Plassmann, OSF, president of St. Bonaventure University at the time.
 

Bishop Robert Barron with gentle yet powerful answer to: Who is Jesus?