After 6 years of "research" and a lot of procrastination, The book has finally been published! The Mystery of Memorial Chapel is now a reality and available from two places on the internet: Amazon. com and Create Space.com. The preferred location might be: www.createspace.com/6101777. The book's description is as follows:
There is no mention in any of the historical writings of the relatively small embedded symbols found in each of the stained glass windows of Memorial Chapel. For the past 65 years, the source and meaning of these embedded symbols has been a mystery. Those charged with the design and construction of the Chapel never requested such symbols be added to the windows. They did not authorize them; they did not approve them; but, they are in each of the windows in the Chapel and the Room of Memory.
What motivated a young Ukrainian to add Pysanky symbolism to the windows? Did he feel the windows needed something more than what was specified? Or, did he want to add his personal tribute to World War II Veterans? This may explain why he never inserted Pysanky symbols into any other stained glass windows in all the years he designed and constructed stained glass windows.
These symbols add great spiritual value to each window. With the source and meaning now known, visitors can experience a greater depth of appreciation for military service. When visiting Memorial Chapel and remembering the more than 90,000 veterans it honors, a visitor should experience a great sense of awe and reverence. You may find it a very humbling experience. There may be people of any age in private prayer. You are welcome to pause and join them. In your prayers, ask God for grace, peace, and wholeness on this earth.
I sincerely hope you find the book informative and interesting.
John Hooper
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Monday, December 23, 2013
Memorial Chapel Mystery
The
“Mystery” of Memorial Chapel is as follows.
On
the campus of Lake Junaluska, a United Methodist Church Conference and Retreat
Center in the western mountains of North Carolina, is a beautiful Chapel
erected to honor military men and women from the Southeastern Jurisdiction of
the United Methodist Church who served during World War II. The building and all aspects concerning it
were to be, and are, a work of art. The
building, furnishings and overall construction gives a visitor a deep sense of
awe when entering.
One
person suggested the symbols might be coded symbols from the Ukraine or Germany
or Poland used during WWII. They may be
Christian, or served some other purpose, including military codes. None of my sources can identify these symbols
and my hope is someone visiting this Blog will identify them or can direct me
to someone that might know about them.
What
I can tell you is that a young man, Lubomyr Stephan Wandzura, (born April 25,
1928 in the Ukraine, died March 10, 2000, in Chicago) came to the U.S. soon
after WWII and a short time later, went to work for the company that made the
windows (Giannini & Hilgart). At
that time, the company had a practice of employing only people from the
Ukraine, Germany or Poland as stain glass artists. His obituary records that he was a glass painter
for the company at the time the windows were made.
Lubomyr
and his twin brother were both conscripted into the German army at age 16 and
he served as an anti-aircraft gunner on the Russian front until the end of the
war. He and his twin brother came to
the U.S. shortly after the war ended. Both later joined the U.S. Army and served
during the Korean War time period as interpreters, since they spoke a number of
eastern European languages. At his death, Lubomyr owned to the stained glass
Company having purchased it in 1970.
Lubomyr
passed away on March 10, 2000. He left a
wonderful family that I have been able to contact, but they have no knowledge
of the symbols. There are no records
remaining concerning the company or its employees. But all the information I have been able to
gather indicates Lubomyr, or another such immigrant, brought the symbols with
them from Eastern Europe and inserted them into the windows as they were
constructed.
If a
visitor to this Blog can help identify these symbols, the Memory and Honor of the
Greatest Generation would certainly be enhanced. And having had three uncles who served their
country during WWII, I would personally be greatly appreciative.
Memorial
Chapel is a beautiful structure and the honor of WWII veterans will be greatly
enhanced with knowledge of these symbols.
Warmest
Regards,
John
Hooper
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