'A living history': North End church slowly working to protect prized stained glass
A North End church is raising money to help cover the costs of protecting its prized stained glass windows created by an iconic Winnipeg artist.
The stained glass windows at St. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral were created by Ukrainian Canadian artist and sculptor, Leo Mol, and while they're still in pristine shape, they need protection from vandals, explains the church's priest, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Mitrat Michael Buyachok.
"We're in an area where there is a lot of damage," Buyachok told CBC News. "The windows were very well done by the artist, Leo Mol, but of course they need to be protected from the exterior.
The 16 windows were added to the church in the 1960s and 70s, and while each were installed with a protective layer of glass at the time, that glass has deteriorated over the years, says Buyachok.
"They're cracked and so forth, so now we're doing all the windows with new, very good protective glass," he explained, adding the new glass is bulletproof.
And that means the glass isn't cheap.
Buyachok says each pane, which covers the roughly 10 feet wide and 30 feet high stained glass, costs around $20,000 — more than the windows they're protecting cost in the first place.
But it's more than worth it, says Buyachok.
"They're irreplaceable," he said of the windows, which depict the history of Christianity in Ukraine. "Indeed, when you walk into that cathedral, it seems as if the angels and the saints are surrounding you — it's a wonderful, wonderful feeling.
"When I enter my cathedral I feel like I'm in heaven."
Long-term project
Work on the restoration project got started in 2006, and has slowly been ongoing as the church brings in enough money to get each pane installed.
Buyachok says just as parishioners at the McGregor Avenue Ukrainian Catholic church rallied to cover the costs of the stained glass windows decades ago, they lead the fundraising efforts for the restoration project today too.
He estimates all the work will cost between $250,000 and $400,000 when it's completed.
Seven of the protective windows on the north side of the church have been restored, and work is now starting on the east side of the building.
Buyachok says they're averaging two to three windows a year and hopes to have all the work finished by 2020.
"We have to preserve them in memory of the great artist, Leo Mol," said Buyachok.
"It's a living history and the faith is alive through those stained glass windows."
