Window of opportunity
Reporter: MARINA BERRY
Date published: 11 October 2010
SETTING the scene . . . The Pope and mass celebrants in front of Brian Clarke’s distinctive stained-glass window design
Pope’s blessing for Brian’s stained-glass
OLDHAM-BORN stained-glass artist Brian Clarke met the Pope when he made his four-day visit to the UK.
Talented Brian (56), who was educated at Oldham School Of Art, designed stained-glass for the chapel at the Papal Nunciature in London (The Vatican Embassy).
The windows were blessed by Pope Benedict XVI during his visit last month in the first Papal visit since 1982.
The windows show three lit candles in rich red and blue stained-glass to reflect three prominent Catholic intellectuals — Thomas More, John Fisher and John Henry Newman.
A detail from the design was also used as the cover for the 2010 UK Papal visit booklet, and the logo for the entire Papal visit was based on the design.
Brian created the stained-glass design in Oldham’s Spindles Shopping Centre, and has been awarded an honorary degree by University Campus Oldham.
