The University of Saint Francis will host a blessing for the 116-year-old “Ascension of Christ” stained glass window at the North Campus auditorium, 2702 Spring Street.
The blessing will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19 in the North Campus foyer.
The family of Donald and Marilyn Balser donated “Ascension of Christ” to the university in 2024. The 8-by-9-foot monumental stained glass window was designed by Tiffany Glass Studios of New York City and fabricated by the Kokomo (Indiana) Glass Company in 1909. It was first installed in the Scottish Rite Cathedral in downtown Fort Wayne until 1967, when the cathedral was demolished.
“Ascension of Christ” had been owned by the Balser family for several decades until the donation. This special gift to the university brings a sacred work of art back to the city in which it was first displayed. Saint Francis Woodshop Director Jay Herron designed and constructed the altar for the window display.
“Saint Francis is honored to be the home for this beautiful and meaningful work of art,” Saint Francis President Dr. Lance Richey said. “We want to express our gratitude to the family of Donald and Marilyn Balser for their generosity in providing this gift to the university so that the Fort Wayne community can appreciate and enjoy it.”
For more information, contact Saint Francis Gallery Director Justin Johnson at jljohnson@sf.edu.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. USF Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.