OD11 digital HR - Flipbook - Page 15
SCHOOL NEWS
A CONSECRATION OF GLASS
A
ceremony to mark
the installation of
three beautiful stainedglass windows in the
Brooke Chapel proved to be one
of the highlights of the Bishops
175 celebrations last year.
Commissioned from local stainedglass expert Anika van der Merwe
of Silverstain glass studio, using
funds raised by the generous
donations of ODs and current
families from the Pre-Prep,
Prep and College, the artworks
completed the last three eye-level
windows in the chapel.
The first window is dedicated
to Ms Xoliswa Christina Gwavu,
who helped put isiXhosa on the
map at Bishops, and was also a
mother figure to many young
boys at the school. Ms Gwavu,
who died in 2022, is represented in
a beautiful depiction of St Clare of
The procession, including Bishop
Joshua Louw and Archbishop
Thabo Makgoba, consecrates
the Brooke Chapel.
Assisi, complementing the existing
window of St Francis dedicated to
former teacher Charles Currey.
A matching pair of windows
shows two Old Testament icons,
Isaiah and Ruth, who respectively
honour the life and work of
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond
Tutu and his wife Mama Nomalizo
Leah Tutu. In Van der Merwe’s
description, Isaiah symbolises
the archbishop’s vision for a better
world, while Ruth represents Leah
Tutu’s love, loyalty and strength.
The school was privileged to
have both Bishop Joshua Louw and
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba at the
dedication service of the windows,
during which the Brooke Chapel
was also, finally, consecrated.
ABOVE The three wonderful new Brooke Chapel additions, from left: the image of Ruth is representative of the work
of Leah Tutu; Isaiah represents Archbishop Desmond Tutu; St Clare of Assisi, honouring Ms Xoliswa Christina Gwavu,
now complements artist Anika van der Merwe’s earlier St Francis of Assisi window, completed in 2016 (not shown).
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