The cathedral in Leon is renowned for its magnificent 125 stained glass windows. This is equivalent to over 1800 square meters of glass. The cathedral is also appropriately called The House of Light. Each window is set high in the walls resulting in a lightness of touch that illuminates the interior. My El Camino guide book reported that it has been described as “…a conservatory that instead of keeping out the light, as most Spanish churches do, actually invites it in, showering this mosaic of colour all over it to become the [most brilliant] church in Spain” (V. Morton).
The pictures in glass show the stories of the Gospels and legends of various Saints. The images are intricate and beautiful. The details are amazing. There are plant motifs, a variety of vines and leaves climbing upwards. There are depictions of virtues and vices. There are saints and sinners all frozen in glass but they appear to be alight and burning from the exterior sun.
The glass is noticeably different depending on its relationship to the sunlight. Where the glass is directly lit by the sun the warmth of color is vibrant, almost like it is on fire. Even the cool blues burn. Where the glass is not directly lit by the sun there is a coolness of color, even of the most warm color tones of the glass are subdued. The colors and images seem to be different and constantly changing depending on their relationship with the sun.
I wandered around the cathedral taking it all in, my neck ached from looking up for so long, but I did not want to leave. As I stood in the middle of the exquisite masterpiece I couldn’t help but think of the glass of a parable to life. How are our lives masterpieces (by no doing of our own, just that we are a creation of God) and how do we change depending on our relationship with the Son?