Nestled on a quiet back street in the once-booming oil town of Franklin, PA, sits St. John's Episcopal Church. While the exterior is pleasing and well-maintained, the true treasures are discovered once you pass through the large wood-and-iron doors.
Every window you see was created by the studios of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Furthermore, St. John's is one of only seven churches housing a complete collection of Tiffany Windows. According to a guidebook available on site, the collection was appraised at over $16.5 million over 20 years ago!
The main sanctuary houses a Rose Window (the 3rd largest ever created by Tiffany Studios) and is surrounded on each side by a series of triptychs depicting the life of Christ. While visiting, get up close to the glass, and you'll observe the wide variety of techniques used in making the panels. Notice the layering, texturing, varieties of glass, and etching. Some panels contain up to seven layers of glass, and it is this layering that creates such depth and variety as the light changes throughout the day.
A five-year restoration took place in 1999 at a cost of $450,000. Each window was dismantled and cleaned layer by layer. Several details were revealed at that time. The Resurrection Window with Mary Magdalene contains the most expensive piece of glass in St. John's. Mary's burgundy robe was created by adding gold to molten glass. The window that is dedicated in memory of Helen Hayward Lewis is the only window with a date (1917) stamped alongside the Tiffany name.
Beyond the windows, there are other interesting architectural highlights to take in:
The pews are constructed from Rosewood, very rare and expensive.
Two mosaics created by Gorham Art Studio are located midway down the sanctuary on each side. Note the detail and 24-karat gold embedded in clear glass in each piece.
You can visit the windows Tuesdays through Fridays from 8 AM to 2 PM. If you'd like a guided tour, please call the church office to arrange it at least one week before your visit. Guided tours cost $5 per person, with a maximum group size of 50.
