Chris Graziano helping to design stained glass windows for remodeled St. Peter Church

Post date: Sep 13, 2016 6:20:00 PM

Saint Peter's Catholic Church under construction September of 2016

By: Megan Cichon, Entertainment Editor

Posted September 13th, 2016

It’s no big secret that Saint Peter Catholic Church in Slinger has been under construction for the duration of summer vacation. The reason why attributes to churches in the surrounding area being closed due to lack of attendance. Therefore, St. Peter's is being expanded upon, to accommodate for an increased attendance due to the closing of other churches. In fact, so much of the old church is being renovated, that it’s almost completely new. This includes the stained glass windows. All of them need to be redone. And this is where Slinger’s art teacher, Mr. Chris Graziano, became involved.

There are ten stained glass windows being designed brand new, with fragments of the old glass windows being preserved and included in the new designs. Mr. Graziano is aiming for a contemporary, yet classical window design. This means that he is hoping to include an ornate, classical border, with contemporary features, such as people who look more life like. (For example, he wants to eliminate the halos around people’s heads, to make the biblical tales look more life like.) The windows previously in the church were beautiful, and flowery, but did not relate to the stories being told in the church. Mr. Graziano is hoping that the new windows will be used not just as decoration, but as a teaching tool.

The opening for the newly redesigned church is set for sometime around this Christmas. However, the windows won’t be put up until roughly May, for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, stained glass windows are made up of two layers: the outer layer of regular glass to protect the window from the weather, and the inner layer of the actual stained glass. The time and work it will take to design all the stained glass windows is much longer than the time it will take to design the regular glass windows. Secondly, the cost of the stained glass windows is not included in the design of the entire church. And finally, the windows need to be designed correctly, so that they can last throughout the generations following ours and our children’s.

The stained glass windows that Mr. Graziano is designing are going to aid the church in providing a welcoming atmosphere for everyone that comes through the doors, no matter who they are.