Reflections from the Pew 106

Stained Glass Window St Fillan

As it’s St Fillan’s 900th anniversary I’m looking at Rev. Rutherford’s children’s address, where he talks about the history of the church, this one is for 30th July 1967, here he is talking about the what he call St Fillan’s Window (we call it the Liston Window).

Twice this month I have talked about St Fillan after whom the church is named. But there were three of four St Fillan’s living around that time. The one we spoke about probably never came to Aberdour. Therefore the picture of St Fillan preaching at the mouth of the Dour Burn with the Pentlands behind, if correct, must be the St Fillan of Pittenweem.

The artist, and we don’t know who he was, did an exceptional job of creating a lovely picture in stained glass. The thing that always interested me about this, is that the artist shows a real cross section of people listening to St Fillan. In the small group there are men and women, young and old, boys and girls, by their clothes rich and poor, a farmer, a shepherd, a soldier with his spear, a priest, someone from every walk of life. Only sixteen people but representing everyone.

The artist was trying to show that Jesus and his love is for everyone.