8 Windows for Christ the King: Stained Glass for the Church in Hutovo, Herzegovina

High in the stony hills behind Neum, in a village where the rocks still hold fossils of the sea, a white church tells the whole story of Christ in glass.

A village above the sea

Hutovo lies in the karst hinterland of Neum, in Herzegovina, a land of stone, scrub oak and wide views. Its open air museum shows fossils of sea plants and animals found here between about 980 and 1,310 feet above today's sea, and an old fortress still watches over the village from above.

The parish church is dedicated to Christ the King. It is a bright, modern building, with a tall bell tower, white walls, a light filled nave and a row of round arched windows down each side.

8 new windows

In 2012 the parish of Christ the King, represented by its pastor, don Pero Marić, asked Stanisic Studio for 8 new stained glass windows. Stevan Stanisic designed them as one cycle: the life of Christ, told window by window along the nave. Every window was cut, painted, fired and leaded in our studio in Sombor, Republic of Serbia.

The style is bright and direct. Each scene is set inside a round arch against a mosaic of clear blues, greens, yellows and lilacs, so the figures stand out strongly, while faces, hands and drapery are painted by hand and fired in the kiln.

The life of Christ

The cycle begins with the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel bringing his message to Mary, and the Nativity, with the Child in the manger under the stable roof. It continues with the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan, John pouring the water as Christ stands in the river, and Christ teaching, seated on a rock with his hand raised as the crowd listens and a woman kneels at his feet.

The Baptism of Christ Christ teaching

Then comes the Last Supper, Christ with the bread and the chalice among his apostles; the Resurrection, Christ rising with the banner of victory as the soldier at the tomb falls back and an angel watches; and Pentecost, the apostles gathered around Mary with tongues of fire above their heads.

The Resurrection Pentecost

The eighth window shows Saint Luke the Evangelist, with his Gospel and quill and the ox at his feet, the writer who told so many of these stories.

Symbols in the details

Small medallions carry the symbols of the faith: the Lamb of God with the banner of the Resurrection, and the chalice of the Eucharist between a bunch of grapes and ears of wheat.

The Lamb of God The chalice, grapes and wheat

In place

See more of our stained glass commissions and sacred art.

Church: Church of Christ the King, Hutovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Pastor: don Pero Marić
Work: 8 stained glass windows, the life of Christ
Design: Stevan Stanisic
Fabrication: Stanisic Studio, Sombor, Republic of Serbia
Year: 2012