Stained glass art

Dying elsewhere, booming in Uganda

St. Peter’s Cathedral in Nsambya in Kampala is imbued with an aura that is unmistakably different from its environment.

Upon entering the place, the atmosphere suddenly changes from the uniform bright light outside the edifice to a mild light interior made rich by colours filtering through the multihued Romanesque-style stained glass windows and doors.

It gives the feeling of the colours of a rainbow all mixed up to form one hue, except that these are further accentuated by the shadows of the large columns and other images ubiquitously positioned in the church. Such was the invention of the early Christian church in first century Europe, which used this technique to create an air of sacredness aimed at inspiring congregants to feel the holy presence of God right in the building. The glass is usually embedded with images of Mary and other eminent saints.

This craft does not come on the cheap; it is a pain-staking procedure where glazes are used to paint on plain glass and then joined using lead strips, creating the dazzling assemblage of colours and shapes that are very pleasant to the eye.