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St. Louis Church - Stained Glass Windows

Sanctuary: The magnificent stained glass windows over the High Altar, consisting of 7 panels, depict significant events in the life of the church's patron, St. Louis IX, King of France. Born in 1214, he was made king at the early age of 11. He led the seventh crusade and is accredited as having enshrined the "true crown of thorns" in the Sainte Chapelle in Paris which he had built for the purpose of housing the sacred relic. A secular Franciscan brother, he died from the plague near Carthage on a crusade in 1270. He was later canonized.

These seven windows were made by the Royal Munich Art Institute in Bavaria Germany.

Nave: The central aisle; the part of a church located between the chief entrance and the chancel or sanctuary, and separated from the side aisles by piers or columns.

Side aisle windows: Within the walls of the side aisles of the greater portion of the nave, stained glass rectangular windows pierce six bays on each side, each containing a mullion in the center and a pointed arch at the top. They are five feet six inches wide and eighteen feet six inches in height. The arch of each window is filled with traceries of varied designs, and the rectangular section exhibits a scene illustrating an aspect of biblical or church history.

The windows were designed and installed between 1890 and 1894.

The windows were created by the Buffalo Stained Glass Works, located at 29 Pearl Street. The owners were Ferdinand J. Riester and Godfrey Frohe. The glass designers wee Leo Frohe and Otto Andrle. The company produced windows for over 200 churches in N.Y. State. Each window was purchased and donated by a parishioner for $527.15

A major renovation of both the exterior and interior of St. Louis Church was almost complete in March of 2004 when these photographs were taken.

Click on photos for larger size

Sanctuary	.	.	.

King Louis arbitrating a feud among petitioners	Detail - King Louis arbitrating a feud among petitioners	Detail - King Louis arbitrating a feud among petitioners	Detail - King Louis arbitrating a feud among petitioners

King Louis as a boy being reared by his mother	King Louis leading the Seventh Crusade	King Louis carrying the crown of thorns to the church of Sainte Chapelle in Paris	King Louis feeding the poor and comforting the oppressed. Donated by Gerhard Lang

King Louis conversing with God in prayer
Nave	.	.	.

St. Rose of Lima and the St. Genevieve of Paris	Detail - St. Rose of Lima and the St. Genevieve of Paris	Detail - St. Rose of Lima and the St. Genevieve of Paris	Detail - St. Rose of Lima and the St. Genevieve of Paris

Detail - St. Rose of Lima and the St. Genevieve of Paris	Detail - St. Rose of Lima and the St. Genevieve of Paris	St. Anthony, An Egyptian Hermit (251-356), donated by Anthony Neupert	St. .Dominic, Founder of the Dominicans (1170-122 1)., who established the devotion of the Rosary being handed to him by Jesus in memory of Joanna Hampelshofer;

St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor (354-430) and St. Gregory the Great, Doctor (540-604), donated by Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Dearing	St. Boniface, the Apostle of Germany (680-754), donated by Joseph and Anna M. Krumholz	Conferral of the Keys on St. Peter, in memory of Nicholas Ottenot	St. Odelia, Patroness of Alsace, and St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Jesus' feet being washed and anointed by Mary of Bethany	St. Margaret Mary Alacoque,Visitation Nun (1647-1690), donated by John Irlbacker	St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) and St. Bernard of Clarivaux (1090-1153), donated by Michael and Blondina Fornes	St. Francis Xavier converting natives in the East Indies. St. Francis Xavier, Jesuit Missionary (1506-1552), donated by Xavier Dietsche

Conversion of St. Paul		North transept rose window. The transept is the part of a cruciform church, projecting at right angles to the main building	Clearstory window

Source of captions: "Gothic Grandeur: A Rare Tradition in American Catholicism," by C. Eugene Miller and Michael A. Riester. Buffalo: Canisius College Press, 2003.

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