A parishioner’s devotion to his church continues to shine in the sunlight that glints through colored windows at Divine Providence Church in Westchester.
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A gift from the estate of George and Carolyn Zanoni paid for 12 new stained glass windows that were recently installed in the church that was constructed in the 1980s.
“They’re pretty. They’re different colors,” said Erin Wager, 10, of Westchester who was among a group of fifth-graders who came from the parish school to watch the installation.
“I like the details,” said Nina Gatto, 10, also of Westchester.
The windows depict 11 of the apostles and Mary.
Linda Hawkins, director of marketing for the church, declined to say how much the bequest was. She said the church could do what it wanted with the gift, and decided it wanted to add stained glass windows to beautify the church’s mostly plain interior.
“I think they’re stunning,” Hawkins said.
The rectangular-shaped windows are situated near the ceiling on one wall of the church.
The windows were created by Colorsmith, a stained glass studio in Riverside owned by Dave Condon. The process of creating the windows took months and included creating drawings for them, altering them based on input from the church, painting and cutting glass and firing the elements in a kiln.
“The process was fun. Tweaking them was fun,” Hawkins said.
It was decided, for instance, to add hair to St. Bartholomew, who was pictured as bald in an early sketch.
“He looked a lot older with no hair,” Hawkins said.
Condon enjoyed making the windows, even through he had to climb high on a ladder to put them in place.
“I like the way they look when they’re done,” he said. “The colors, the composition. It’s gratifying to take a piece a paper and wind up with a window in a church.”
Hawkins said George Zanoni, who died in 2014, was a devoted member and active volunteer for the parish. His wife, Carolyn, died in 2011.
“George was head usher for many years and knew a large majority of the parishioners, young and old alike,” she said.
The holidays seemed an ideal time to install the windows because George Zanoni was also known for another activity that benefited the village.
“He was a huge fan of Christmas and organized “Christmas town” on Becket Avenue in Westchester,” Hawkins said. “The entire block would decorate and coordinate their homes with Christmas lights. It is fitting that the windows be revealed at Christmas time.
In a letter to parishioners about the windows, the Rev. Timothy Fiala also had fond memories of Zanoni.
He recalled that Zanoni once commented to him just before Mass started that Fiala’s shoes were not as “fresh looking” as they should be. The next day Zanoni gave him a paper bag with a bottle of furniture polish in it.
“He told me to spray it on my shoes and they would look great,” Fiala said. “I had to chuckle and told him I would get right on it, but I never did. The can of Pledge in the original paper bag is still on a shelf in my office and will remain there as a remembrance.”
Karen Foleno, principal of the school, was with the fifth-graders as they watched some of the windows being installed.
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“I wanted them to see the installation,” she said. “That way it will be more meaningful for them when they come to Mass and see the transformation.”
“This was a gift and it’s a way of remembering (George Zanoni) forever,” Hawkins said.
While the windows will add a gleam to services during the Christmas season, the church also plans a blessing of the stain glass windows to take place at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Jan. 22 at the church, 2550 Mayfair Ave., Westchester.