Forest Lawn Features Rare Combination of Stained Glass

The “Light and Hope Stained Glass Windows” display at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park in Glendale opened to rave reviews Nov. 25 and marked the start of the holiday season with a rare blend of renowned stained glass art and community contributions that truly symbolize the season.

Complementing the brilliant stained glass windows which trace the journey of the first Christmas and early life of Christ, relics, artifacts, and symbols from Southern California churches and community members bring the spirit of the season close to home. Guests to the display will enjoy a star lantern from the Holy Family Catholic Community in Glendal; a nativity scene and Christmas piñata from New Hope Community Church in Santa Ana; a Polish nativity scene from Our Lady of the Bright Mount im Los Angeles; priest and bishop vestments, chalise, myron, incense burner, clergy and priest’s crosses from St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale; reproductions of Greek icons including St Nicholas and the Holy Family from St. Sophia in Los Angeles; and a St. Nicholas relic from Thomas Serrafin.

In addition, a reproduction of “The Gospels of Partserpert” and unique African wall masks have been added to the museum collection by Forest Lawn and are on display as part of the Light and Hope exhibit.

“‘Light and Hope’ offers the community a rare opportunity to see stained glass windows not often seen that tell the story of Christ’s early life,” said Alison Bruesehoff, Forest Lawn Museum executive director. “People will get to experience different cultural Christmas traditions.”

The Christmas windows depict the seven most significant events in the birth and early life of Christ including the betrothal of Mary and Joseph, the visitation of Mary and Elizabeth, no room at the inn, the shepherds in the stable, the flight into Egypt, Jesus in the temple, and a domestic scene with Joseph, Mary and Jesus in the carpenter’s shop.

The windows were created by the Franz Mayer & Co. of Munich, Germany, and date back to 1903. Today, they are part of the more than 1,000 stained glass windows in the Forest Lawn Collection - a collection that the Smithsonian Institute has called “one of the finest.”

The display can be visited through Jan. 10 at Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale, 1712 S. Glendale Ave., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, call 800-204-3131.