Stained Glass

Thank you for wanting to learn more about our stained glass project! Here you will find a digital copy of our prayer book, Q&A, and the latest updates.

Update (May 20, 2022): All ten of our downstairs windows have been gifted, and the remaining six will be installed in early June. 

We are also installing stained glass in the two large circular windows in the transepts, featuring Peter walking on water and Peter receiving the keys to the kingdom (Matthew 16). The window of Peter walking on water has been gifted and installed. Please see below for information about the final window, Peter receiving the keys to the kingdom.

To see the artwork showing the designs for all ten windows,and the spiritual meaning behind them, please click on "Walking With Peter."

Which windows are still available for sponsorship?

Thankfully, all ten vertical windows have now been gifted to the parish, as has the round window of Peter walking on water!

The last window remaining to be gifted is the round window of Peter receiving the keys to the kingdom. Since it is about nine feet in diameter and contains much more glass than the lower windows, the cost is $80,000, twice the cost of the lower windows. Here is its design:

How did the project come about?

When our church was built in 2006, the intention was to one day fill the clear windows with stained glass. In September 2020, we formed a small committee to explore the possibility. The committee interviewed several traditional stained-glass studios, and chose Redfern Art Studio. Over the course of several months, the committee brainstormed themes and gradually worked with the artist to come up with these designs, and then we began sharing the concepts with the parish in February 2021. 

Who is the artist?

Carl Fougerousse is a Catholic artist who lives in Savannah with his wife and four children. A graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, he owns a small studio that specializes in stained glass and other forms of sacred art for Catholic parishes. The committee was very impressed by the beauty of his work, his understanding of Catholic art, and the faith-filled way he approaches his work. Carl is the creator of these initial designs, and he is also the one who is creating our windows with the help of his team.

How will the windows be further refined?

When Carl begins work on a particular window, he creates a full-size drawing and makes greater refinements, using live models in costume to capture nuances in faces, hands, and clothing. The actual glass will have more color and richness than can be depicted by watercolor painting. You can see an example of one of his finished windows here, as well as on his website. Click here to see interview by WSAV with Carl where he speaks about working on the Saint Peter's windows.

How will the windows be protected from hurricanes or other damage?

Our clear church windows are all impact-resistant, according to the building codes of our county. The stained glass windows will all be in custom frames on the inside of the impact-resistant windows. So for example, if a vandal were to heave a brick at one of our windows, the brick would bounce off the clear exterior window panel, leaving the stained glass on the inside unharmed.

Our church also contains 32 square windows at the top of the church (clerestory windows). If the other windows are filled with stained glass, we might explore creating stained glass for these smaller windows as a later phase. 

Please contact our parish manager, Willard Fosberry, at 843-522-6501 or at parishmanager@stpetersbeaufort.org. He would be happy to answer any of your questions, or talk to you about Notre Dame football!