I recently created a stained glass window featuring St. Francis for the gallery B.A.T. of Assisi.
I decided to represent Saint Francis because Assisi is the birthplace of the saint and because he is the patron saint of ecology about which I am passionate.
As well as being the patron saint of Italy, on 6 April, 1980, Pope John Paul II also declared St. Francis the patron saint of ecology.
Man often considers himself the absolute owner of the planet but through his poem ‘Laudato si’ St Francis modified this concept. He no longer sees man as the owner of the planet but as guardian and custodian of the wonders of creation.
Unfortunately, in most cases mankind still considers itself owner of the planet, believing in the inexhaustibility of its resources; polluting and devastating the precious environment essential for our existence.
In this stained glass window with St. Francis I decided to represent the ecological spirit with bees and fireflies two insects very sensitive to pollution and in serious danger of extinction.
Saint Francis is young with a junior monk’s tunic and without stigmata.
Despite being a very important iconography for St. Francis, I decided not to paint them because the saint received them in the last year of his life while here he is represented young.
The window is divided, by the central almond shaped section, into two parts representing day and night.
The left side depicts daytime with Brother Sun at the top and on the lower left side is a meadow with flowers and bees. The latter is painted with green and brown grisalia and transparent enamels.
On the right hand side, Sister Moon represents the night and the same meadow is painted in silhouette on blue glass while fireflies form a luminous halo created on hand-worked flashed glass with sandpaper – a long process that however creates the perfect effect.
My intention is that this window, depicting St. Francis, is a good omen for man and that we really learn to be watchful guardians of creation, preserving the planet and our existence, in the hope that it is not too late.
If you like this you might want to see our other religious stained glass.
