!25Serenity5

This beautiful gothic Catholic Church, St. Stephan’s, in Mainz, Germany was built during the Middle Ages. It was severely damaged during the “fire storm” of World War II's Allied bombing. Its restoration began in 1948. Marc Chagall, the Russian-born Jewish artist, created the nine stained glass windows as a symbol of reconciliation between France and Germany as well as Christian and Jew, and finished them in November of 1984, a few years before his death in 1989.

A small sign near the windows reads:

“A Jew forgives, why can’t you?” “A Jew will never forget, why do you?”

Serenity

                       This House of God, true Love explained,
                       On Beams of Light through Windows stained;
                       By Chagall’s Hand, St. Stephan’s paned,
                       For peaceful Calm, therein contained;
                       Grand, Gothic Beauty, still, ordained!

                       War’s savage Fires will rant and rave,
                       To ravage Spires, cross Apse then Nave;
                       A Church, restored, with Spirits brave,
                       Would buttress all, beyond the Grave;
                       Men, reconciled, their Souls could save!

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