Glasgow Cathedral

Yesterday, we spent a rainy afternoon in the Glasgow Cathedral - even though it was not sunny, the stained glass still glowed!

Quotes from displays:

Most of the cathedral's medieval glass was replaced in the 1850s and 1860s with stained glass made in Munich by the Königliche Glasmalereianstalt (Royal Bavarian Stained Glass Establishment).

The glass didn't last long, suffering from the effects of pollution which caused the painted surface to deteriorate. Some was removed during the 1930s and today only two Munich glass windows remain in their original setting upstairs.

The glass now represents the largest single collection of Munich glass in the world. The Bavarian Glass factory was destroyed during the Second World War, along with many examples of its work in Germany.

The remains of the glass is still stored in the cathedral and depicts scenes of biblical figures.

THE TOMB OF ST MUNGO

St Mungo-also known as St Kentigern - was a much revered bishop of Glasgow. Traditions says he was buried on this spot around 612.

GLASGOW'S SAINT

St Mungo was a missionary in Strathclyde and may have built an early church on this site. His sanctity was promoted by later bishops and he became a cult figure in the Scottish church.

This tomb, and a shrine upstairs, attracted many pilgrims, who followed a stage-managed route through the cathedral to get here

[Figure] An artist's imagining of St Mungo with a fish and a ring, which feature in one of his most famous miracles.

[Figure]: The cathedral seal of 1280 shows St Mungo, crozier in hand, giving a blessing while three figures pray below

THE AISLE OF FERGUS

The inscription above the entrance reads 'This is the aisle of Fergus', suggesting that it may have been the burial place of holy man Fergus. He was alive at the same time as St Mungo.

Pilgrims would have visited this aisle before heading down to the Lower Church to see St Mungo's tomb.

THE BLACADER AISLE*

The chapel was left unfinished until Archbishop Blacader added the vaulted ceiling in around 1500, so today it's known as the Blacader Aisle.

~~~

We got reservations just in case, but it wasn't crowded.

* A different plaque spelled this as Blackadder, like the Rowen Atkinson comedy series 😀