The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a glass sealed thyristor (10) and a method for simultaneously constructing a plurality of thyristors on a common semiconductor wafer (46). The thyristor utilizes a body of semiconductor material with the cathode and base regions (20, 24) extending to one major surface (14) and the anode region (22) extending to the second major surface (16). A groove (36) is etched in the first surface of the body of semiconductor material to expose the PN junction formed at the interface of the cathode emitter and cathode emitter base regions. A second groove (40) is etched in the second major surface to expose the PN junction formed at the interface of the anode emitter region and the anode emitter base region. Ring shaped glass members (42). are fused to the body of semiconductor material to form seals providing environmental protection for the PN junctions exposed by etching the grooves in the major surfaces of the body of semiconductor material. A plurality of thyristors can be simultaneously constructed on a common semiconductor wafer.