Light of God shines in Troy

All windows invite the sunshine in while shutting the wind out. But the windows at St. Joseph's Church in Troy do something more: They take your breath away!

Founded in 1847, St. Joseph's parish, like the Albany Diocese, is marking its sesquicentennial this year. Its windows, crafted at the studios of Louis Comfort Tiffany in New York City around the turn-of-the-century, are stained glass renderings of saints and Biblical scenes that create the impression that a window to Heaven has been opened.

From a series of panels featuring the parish's patron saint to those paying homage to Christ, His Apostles and the Blessed Mother, the beauty and bounty of the iridescent images reflect favorably upon those who brought them to the Albany Diocese nearly a century ago.

Emotions in glass

Among the most lifelike are those depicting Christ commissioning St. Peter as the head of the disciples and one of Jesus titled "The Light of the World." Other breath-taking examples include two large windows featuring the Ascension and Assumption.

Not all of the windows are in church proper. St. Joseph's sacristy also harbors what might be called a permanent exhibit of translucent artistic treasures in its walls.

Early years

"I have no idea what kind of windows were in place when the church was first built," explained Father Cooney. "But you can see from the outside that these [Tiffany windows] are much smaller than what was here originally."

Close inspection reveals that bricks and putty have been used to fill in around the frames of the Tiffany glass.

Preservation effort

"The windows are covered with a protective, shatter-proof kind of glass, but there are a number of windows where the protective glass is cracked and needs to be replaced," he noted. "That is now in the works. We are also in the process of having the windows re-puttied. The supportive materials that surround them need a lot of work as well."

The current renovation project entails not just maintaining and preserving the Tiffany windows, but also making them as "air tight" as possible to keep the warm air in and the drafts out.

Tightening up

The doors are also being "tightened up" as an energy-conservation measure and the monumental task of "pointing the bricks" is also being tackled this year.

Two years ago, the church's old roof was replaced -- a massive undertaking that required the demolition and removal of two roofs: one of slate, the other of shingle. According to the pastor, "tons of materials" had to be discarded before the new copper roof could be constructed.

Final phase

"There will be sanding and scraping and spackling -- and scaffolding inside the church," he said. "It's going to be a massive undertaking, and a painstaking one because of the high ceilings, the stencilling and the delicate gold leaf designs. Exactly how we're going to do it, I don't know yet, but it definitely needs to be done."

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