Alpha and Omega (Book Cover)

I found this striking composition lying on a table at the back of the church.

Picture taken while visiting the Saint John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein.

Holy Elements (St. John the Baptist)

I found this grouping of Holy Elements at the back of the church. I tried several angles and settled on this one.

Eucharist Vessels

While visiting the St. John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein, I found this group of Eucharist Vessels. The wall behind the vessels was in need of a little repair so I took the liberty of using a robe for the background.

Where Did You See Jesus

Every Sunday at the Church I serve in, we ask the question Where did you see Jesus. The answers vary from sunsets, answers to prayer to acts of kindness. It is both a rewarding and humbling experience to see and share were Jesus shows up in the lives of people.

Picture taken at the Saint John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein.

Jesus gives Peter the keys to the Kingdom

This is one of several murals above the altar at Saint John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein.

The Dove Above the Altar

This picture of the Stained glass Dove of the Holy Spirit above the altar was taken at the Saint John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein.

Finally

Every time I visit the St. John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein I've tried to get this picture of the Pieta statue. I finally got one that I liked. The challenge was to expose the statue and not blow out the stained glass window.

Martyr of the Confessional

I found St. John Nepomucene story to be very interesting. As confessor to the queen he was ordered imprisoned, tortured and finally executed for refusing to reveal to the king the confessions of the queen.



Picture taken at St. Bernard in Burkettsvile, Ohio.

In the Hand of God be my spirit

As he was on trial and being prosecuted, Saint Stephen experienced a theophany. His theophany was unusual in that he saw both the Father and the Son:

"Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." (Acts 7:56)



In this picture St. Stephen is holding the Bible with lettering. If someone can translate this I would appreciate it. It doesn't help that one word is fairly blocked by the window bar.

Kevin Hammer found this explanation: don't know Latin, but after some googling:

St. Stephen holding a book with the words he spoke at his martyrdom: A DE[SC AD DEUM?] SIT ANIMA MEA ("In the Hand of God be my spirit.")

Click the following Link for more info: St. Stephen

Picture taken at St. Bernard Church, Burkettsvile, Ohio.

This was originaly posted on Feb 10 but I thought it would be nice to re-post it with its new title and updated info. (Steeple Chaser)

Saint Bernard

St. Bernard was added as a Doctor of the Catholic Church by Pius VIII (1830). I must admit I am unclear on what distinction the title has. I did find that the person must not have been martyred and that "the requisite conditions are enumerated as three: eminens doctrina, insignis vitae sanctitas, Ecclesiae declaratio (i.e. eminent learning, a high degree of sanctity, and proclamation by the Church)." The web site also went on to say that they should be represented holding a book as pictured here.



You can't really see it in this picture because the statue is up high but I am fairly certain that it has glass eyes.

Pictures taken at the St. Bernard Church in Burkettsville.

Saint Aloysius

In art, St Aloysius is shown as a young man wearing a black cassock and white rochet, or as a page. His attributes are a lily, referring to innocence; a cross, referring to piety and sacrifice; a skull, referring to his early death; and a rosary, referring to his devotion to the Virgin Mary.

Text taken from Wikipedia.

Picture taken at St. Bernard Church in Burkettsville.

Saints In Stained Glass

I was contacted by Brent Devitt asking if I would be willing to contribute some of my images to a project he is working on for the Shrine of the Holy Relics. Below is an E-Mail I received from Brent outlining the project.

This project is an attempt to bring an “illuminated” face to the saints whose relics rest in the Shrine of the Holy Relics. Many stained glass images of saints are found throughout the churches of the world, many in fact in the churches of the Land of the Crossed Tipped Churches. The project involves finding as many images of the saints as possible with a special effort on finding images from area churches. A short biography, a list of patronages, names origins, and attributes or symbols often found in images of the saints. accompanies each image.



The sisters who care for the Shrine remark that often visitors have questions about the saints. This project will provide the kind of information and images that will complement that sacred relics found in the shrine. Russ Martin has generously offered to lend some of his images to the project to add to some taken by Brent Devitt of Beavercreek Ohio near Dayton. Brent is a Catholic Elementary School Principal at Ascension School in Kettering Ohio. He was taught in elementary school by some of the Precious Blood Nuns whose origins in Ohio were at Maria Stein. In some ways this is a tribute to the teaching sisters who shared the stories of the saints with so many young people over the years.

Jesus Is Condemned to Death

Station One of the Stations of the Cross.

Picture taken at St. Remy Church in Russia, Ohio.

Immaculate Conception (Stained Glass)

If your a big fan of stained glass windows, the St. Bernard Church in Burkettsville is a must see church if you are ever in the area. This stained glass window of the Immaculate Conception is just one of many beautiful windows you will find in the church.

The Coronation of the Virgin Mary

The beautiful stained glass window of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary can be found in the St. Bernard Church in Burkettsville.

Ascension of Jesus (St. Bernard)

This wonderful stained glass widow showing the Ascension of Christ can be found in the St. Bernard Church in Burkettsville.

Jesus Falls The Second Time

While visiting the St. Nicholas church--the sun light shining in on this Station of the Cross through the window caught my eye. What held my interest was the fact that the Roman Guard did not look all that menacing and the small child carrying the INRI placard. It never ceases to amaze me how different artist interpret The Way of the Cross.