01 May Photos of the Waves O Glory Brazier Paschal Fire for Easter Vigil
The Waves O’ Glory Brazier commissioned by Rev. J. Brian Ponder,
chaplain and assistant rector, The Episcopal Canterbury Fellowship at
Mississippi State University for use in their Easter Vigil.
Rev. J. Brian Ponder sent me some beautiful photos of the Easter Vigil this year at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection. I would have liked to have been there! I also found a great item in the church newsletter which explains how the symbolism of water and fire relate to the Great Vigil of Easter. It’s very rewarding to be able to make art that holds so much meaning for people!
Our Blaze O’ Glory Brazier ~ Kindling the Paschal Fire in Style
As part of the Great Vigil of Easter, we kindle a new fire from which the Paschal Candle is lit and burns for the Great Fifty Days of Easter. It is from the Paschal Candle, then, that individual candles are lit at the service, reminding us that we are bearers of the Light of Christ—a truth that becomes even more evident through the Vigil liturgy as the story of our salvation unfolds.
This winter, John T. Unger, a Michigan-based artist in metals, tiles and other media, was commissioned to create a brazier to hold Resurrection’s Paschal fires—the fires that will be kindled this year and in years to come. The wonderful brazier stands approximately four feet tall and incorporates images of water in its design, peaking waves encircling the entire fire bowl. We are honored to have acquired such a fine piece of Unger’s work—the first of his “Blaze O’ Glory” braziers to combine both fire and water.
Water, of course, is one of the richest images and symbols of the Great Vigil. From the waters of creation and the waters through which Israel was delivered at the Red Sea, to the waters of the great flood and the lack of water in the story of the valley of dry bones, water finds significant meaning in the stories retold at the Vigil. As one of the most profound baptismal moments of the Church’s life, too, it is at the Vigil that we are reminded of the water’s edge to which we’re called again and again—moving from death to life—to be reborn into a life in Christ. This year’s Paschal fire will be kindled at the Columbarium, giving us opportunity for literal and symbolic movement from the grave to life—Resurrection.
Join us as we kindle a new fire this Easter, and check out our new fire bowl. For more information about, the artist, John T. Unger Studio, Great Bowls O’ Fire, Blaze O’ Glory braziers and more, visit: www.johntunger.com.
The brazier above is a great example of how a commissioned piece can turn out.
