About Stained Glass

St. Alexander was born in the second century AD. He was imprisoned for his faith during the reign of Roman emperor Severus, and when he was released, he went to Jerusalem and became coadjutor with St. Narcissus, the Bishop of Jerusalem. St. Alexander built a library at Jerusalem. In his old age, he was taken […]

St. Patrick is one of the most well known saints, often seen on stained glass windows and depicted in sacred art. March 17th is celebrated the world over as St. Patrick’s Day. His popularity is no wonder, being as he was, humble and gentle, totally devoted to God and utterly fearless, even of death. At […]

St. Seraphina is mostly called by her shortened name “Fina”. She was born in the small Italian town of San Gimignano in 1238. When she was ten years old she developed a serious illness which caused her great pain and paralysis for the next five years. Fina was a very humble and virtuous child, devoted […]

St. Anthony, who lived in France during the tenth century, is not to be confused with St. Anthony of Padua or St. Anthony the Great. This particular St. Anthony was a hermit who lived in the Luxeuil Abbey. He is also known as Anthony of Luxeuil or Anthony of Liaroles. He was renowned for his […]

Sts. Perpetua and Felicity were two brave women of the third century AD who were martyred for their Christian faith. They are usually remembered together and stained glass windows showing these two saints sometimes depict the scene of their martyrdom in the arena, thrown to beasts such as lions, bears and wild boar. Perpetua was […]

St. Catherine of Bologna was an Italian, cloistered nun, artist and saint who lived during the fifteenth century AD. At the age of eleven Catherine became the maid of honor to the daughter of the Marquis for whom her father worked. When her mistress married, she wanted to take Catherine with her, but instead Catherine […]

In 1380 the birth of Nicolette Boilet brought great joy to her elderly parents who had prayed to St. Nicolas for help in having a child. According to tradition her mother was 60 years old when she gave birth to her daughter and named her after the saint to whom they had prayed. Her name […]

Not much is known about St. Oliva (or Olivia) of Brescia, Italy. She was a holy virgin who lived in the second century AD and was martyred during the reign of Emperor Hadrian. She died in 138 AD and was canonized pre-congregation. She is honored in both the Greek Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church […]

St. Camilla was born in the fourth century in Civitavecchia, Italy. When St. Germanus of Auxerre (France) was in Ravenna, St. Camilla became his disciple and she went on missions with him to France. Later she settled in Auxerre and became a hermitess until her death in 437 AD. Her feast day is commemorated on […]

St. Polycarp was a second century martyr, Church Father and Bishop of Smyrna. It is recorded that he was a disciple of St. John the Apostle who had ordained him as Bishop of Smyrna. Having lived an exemplary life of devotion and prayer, Polycarp was brutally martyred before a bloodthirsty crowd when he was eighty-six […]