Brakpan church celebrates 100 years with gleaming new addition

The result is breathtaking when the light hits the window and the church is illuminated in a beautiful shade of blue.

February 2, 2018

Stacy Slatter 2 minutes read

The new stained glass window was made by Brakpan resident Mervyn Dansie (left). He is seen with Father Kieran Birmingham from St John the Baptist Catholic Church. The dove in the window represents peace in South Africa.

St John the Baptist Catholic Church has been given an added touch of ‘glass’ with the refurbishment of one of its stained glass windows.

A new window was commissioned in celebration of the church’s centenary this year.

The church, situated along Queen Avenue, was opened on June 23, 1918, and has several beautiful stained glass windows depicting different stories from the Bible.

The new window, ‘The Holy Spirit’, which features a dove symbolising peace in South Africa, was installed on January 19.

Having been there since 1949, the previous window was bent and broken.

The new addition is the work of Brakpan resident Mervyn Dansie (72), a congregant of the church and long-standing member of the local Catholic community.

He started working with glass in the late 1980s and has made many different glass creations, ranging from lamps to doors.

The church previously made use of Mervyn’s stained glass talents when he completed the four back windows of the church in 2003, followed by the two doors in the entrance.

He completely refurbished and restored one of the side windows in 2016 consisting of approximately 250 separate pieces of glass.

Work on the new window started in February last year and the glass had to be imported from Mexico via a distributor in Pretoria.

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Inspiration was taken from the stained glass window in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, in Rome.

The Cathedra Petri or ‘Throne of St Peter’ is the central work of art in the apse of St Peter’s Basilica.

Designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and finished in 1666, this chair is made of bronze and encases the original chair of St Peter, which is made of wood and ivory.

The throne takes up the whole space in the front of the Basilica and is centred around an amber stained glass window.

At the centre of this window is a white dove which symbolises the Holy Spirit.

The new window contains 208 pieces of coloured glass held together by lead.

Each wing on the dove has 26 pieces, with the tail containing 21 and the body four.

The inner and outer circle each comprise 66 pieces of glass.

Each piece had to be cut and fitted separately and a crane was used to lift the heavy window into position in the choir loft on the first floor.

Scaffolding had to be erected and a team of seven had to get the window in the frame without it bending.

The task took a lengthy five hours to complete, but the result is breathtaking when the light hits the window and the church is illuminated in a beautiful shade of blue.

The 100-year celebrations are a major highlight on the church’s calendar and several events are planned, including:

• A centenary booklet will be launched on March 24.

• Fiesta led by the Portuguese community will be held on June 24.

• A high tea will be held on September 1.

For more information contact the church office on 011 744 3713.