Evening Press Reporter

Light filters through the blue and green hues of the stunning new stained glass window at All Saints' Church, Bolton Percy.

A silhouetted worshipper admires the Millennium Window at All Saints' Church, Bolton Percy Picture: Frank Dwyer

The 50-foot square Millennium window is to be dedicated by the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, tomorrow (Sunday, January 16).

Designed by Thomas Denny, of Dorset, the window's theme is a river.

The Rev Francis Minay, priest-in-charge at All Saints', said the idea for the window had come from David Thomas, chairman of the friends of the church.

"He pointed out the last piece of art work to be added to the church was the Burne-Jones window in 1900," Mr Minay said.

Together church members decided on a new stained glass window to mark the 20th century and their brief to the artist was to reflect three things - the relationship of time and eternity, the sacramental nature of the world and the local community life of Bolton Percy.

Mr Minay said the choice of the river was the artist's and it reflected the idea of time and eternity.

"Rivers are both linear and cyclic - they have a beginning, a middle and an end and at the same time their flow is eternal - they are always there."

He said the congregation had been very excited when the window was unveiled last Sunday.

"It looks spectacular - it transforms the north west corner."

The window cost £15,000. Most of the cost has been met by parishioners at Bolton Percy and they are still working on raising the rest.

All Saints' is a 15th century church dedicated in 1425.

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