A fifteenth century stained glass window - which will be the central image of the York Millennium Mystery Plays - has been restored to its former glory.

Eye to eye with 'the face of God': The Dean of York, the Very Rev Raymond Furnell, looks at the restored glass window today. Picture: Steven Bradshaw

The magnificent panel, showing the "Face of God," was unveiled today during the official launch of the Plays, which will be held next year in York Minster.

The painting, possibly the work of John Chamber, dates back to 1450, and was originally part of the East Window of St Martin-Le-Grand church in Coney Street.

It was moved to the West Wall of the South Transept of the Minster in the 18th century, and was removed for cleaning and conservation in 1995 by the York Glaziers' Trust.

The metre-square panel, made up of hundreds of small pieces of glass, has taken about 300 hours to restore.

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