ETCHED with vibrant red poppies, golden diamonds and showpiece orange collarette, the new stained glass window unveiled by the Orange Institution this week is a kaleidoscopic piece of contemporary artwork.
But more than admirable craftsmanship, the 8ft by 5ft composition represents a 'window' to the past and was commissioned as a memorial to members of the Orange institution killed during the Troubles.
Forming the centrepiece of a new 'Museum of Orange Heritage' to be opened later this month, the memorial window - which features images of Titanic Belfast and the Giant's Causeway - was formally dedicated at the Institution's Belfast headquarters at Cregagh Road on Tuesday.
Several 'open evenings' will now take place over the coming weeks, allowing relatives of the 332 Orange men and women killed in the Troubles to view the window and privately reflect on their loss.
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ireland Edward Stevenson described the window as a "stunning tribute".
"This impressive memorial window visibly honours the sacrifice of our murdered members and permanently preserves their memories for generations to come," he said.
Designed by Glass Marque of Dunmurry, the cost of the piece, which took six months to complete, was funded entirely from the sale of memorial badges.
Its dedication comes during final preparations for the opening of the new Orange museum as part of the REACH Project (Reaching out through Education and Cultural Heritage) which received 3.6 million from the EU's Peace III Programme.
