90-year-old stained-glass window in Costa Mesa is damaged by vandalism

Part of a 90-year-old stained-glass window at Costa Mesa’s First United Methodist Church was shattered when a vandal threw a brick through it, church leaders said.

The vandalism occurred sometime between late Monday and early Tuesday, the Rev. Amy Aitken said.

The window, known informally as the Shepherd’s Window, is in the church’s southern wall along West 19th Street.

The stained glass, which contains a depiction of Jesus, is protected by a quarter-inch outer layer of glass, a portion of which was destroyed. Church leaders believe the vandal grabbed a brick from nearby and threw it at the window with enough force to break through both layers.

Church members also reported seeing two pentagrams drawn on the outer glass layer. A pentagram is a five-pointed star often associated with the occult.

The church filed a police report.

The glass was installed in 1926 — before the church was fully constructed — and was dedicated two years later, said longtime parishioner Lee Ramos.

Ramos said the church, despite its busy downtown location, has not been a frequent target of vandalism.

Aitken said First United plans to have a stained-glass specialist fix the window. Church leaders estimate the repairs could cost thousands of dollars, though they feel fortunate that most of the window’s artwork was left intact.

Ramos said the church plans to install a security camera across the street that will monitor the front of the church.

Twitter: @BradleyZint

Zint writes for Times Community News.