Worship

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS!

Chapel, Eton College; © Brian Sibley, 2007

Hanukkah

Another of John K Clark's stained glass windows the Giffnock Synagogue in Glasgow photographed for Window Gazing by Sharon Mail.SHARON MAIL.

This window symbolizes the Festival of Lights...

The Festival of Lights commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over Syrian Greek rule in 175 BCE. The Greeks had defiled the Temple and the Maccabean victory led to the dedication of the Temple and the kindling of the menorah, the Temple Candelabrum. Only a single small jar of undefiled oil could be found, but that miraculously burned for eight days until more could be produced. To commemorate this miracle one more candle is lit in the Chanukah menorah each day, and the window alludes to this by depicting each flame in a different shade.

Palm branches represent the victory over Hellenism, a laurel wreath in the darkness at the base of the window indicates the end of Greek rule and golden vine leaves provide a reminder of the Temple. The window also shows a dreidel, a small spinning top used in a traditional Chanukah game.

© Sharon Mail 2008

Frosty Windows

These windows are part of this year's Christmas display at Fortnum & Mason's emporium in Piccadilly, London...

Click on any image to enlarge

What I particularly love about photographing these windows during the day - when winter sunlight is falling on the facade of The Royal Academy opposite - is the way in which the fantasy images in the windows merge with the real London (and its windows) on the opposite side of the road reflected on the windows...




Fortnum & Mason's Christmas windows, Piccadilly, London © Brian Sibley 2008

In the archive of my companion blog, you can view last year's F&M windows that were devoted to the seasonal song, 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'.