St. Francis’ Caritas Center

Mannheim, Germany

Artist: Yvelle Gabriel

The elements of the inner eight verses from the canticle of the sun are reflected as expressive symbolic images in the eight glass windows facing the inner courtyard. The themes of sun, moon, wind, water, fire, earth, sorrow and death are fused together with the glass bearing it in a powerful, luminous float glass painting in various colour layers. The fusion of colour pigments especially provides a specific effect from the artistic touches of colour. It is true that each individual window stands on its own but with the flowing composition a clear connection is created and the glass front gleams as a unique overall work of art. On the altar side there are another five windows, which symbolise God and His light in artistic abstractions without colours and exclusively through thermal glass distortions and etchings. The windows establish a new link to the first and last verse of the canticle of the sun and symbolise God, light, glory, honour and blessings.