Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

Click any image to enlarge.

MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel

Studio Name: Emil Frei Associates, Inc.

City: Livonia

Window Shape: 5 (gothic arched, 2 vertical sections)

Subject/Title of Window: Seasons of the Church

Brief Description of Subject: This two lancet aisle window is located on the gospel side of the public seating section of the Chapel. All aisle windows and transept windows have the same basic pattern, two lancet windows, the top symbol in each lancet sets the topic for that lancet, and the four symbols below are each encased in a geometrical shape surrounded by grisaille glass. The border and filler color used, like the geometric shape, is unique to the section of the Chapel they are located in --- the public section uses an ovalish shape and the color of amber.
 
The liturgical year begins with the start of Advent. This window covers the seasons in chronological order starting at the left lancet from bottom to top and continuing in the right lancet from top to bottom. The top symbol in both lancets are identical. They have not been positively identified, but most likely are a symbol for the Christian Church.
 
Left lancet starting at the bottom.
 
Advent: This season starts on the Sunday nearest St. Andrews Day and ends on Christmas Eve. Pictured here is a grey earth as the sun (Son of God) is still shielded by the clouds.
 
Christmas: This season starts with the birth of Jesus, and ends on the Baptism of Christ. The Nativity is pictured here with a white lily (Mary), head of Christ (cruciform nimbus), and the sun shining down on the earth. The light of the world has been born.
 
Epiphany: Occurs during the Christmas season. The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the first appearance of the Messiah to Gentiles. It is pictured here with a star (Star of Bethlehem) shining down on Christ (cruciform nimbus) in a manger, and three crowns (the Magi).
 
Lent: This season is a preparation for the death and Resurrection of Christ and runs from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday. Pictured here is the Chi Rho (Christ) shaded by a band of clouds --- the Christian world is in sadness.
 
Top symbol excluded.
 
Right lancet starting at the top excluding the top symbol.
 
Easter: This season starts with the Resurrection of Christ on Easter morning. The Resurrection of Christ is pictured here with a rising sun (morning) and the Chi Rho (Christ) rising from the tomb.
 
Pentecost: This marks the end of the Easter season. The feast of Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit onto the twelve Apostles and other followers of Christ. Pictured here are twelve descending tongues of fire (Holy Spirit).
 
Feast of Corpus Christi (Body of Christ): This feast occurs in the Ordinary Time Season that runs from the end of Easter Season until Advent. It is pictured here with a bowl that has the image of a fish, and holds three hosts. Beside the bowl are two stalks of wheat. The host and wheat stalks are symbols for the body of Christ. The "fish" is an ancient symbol for Christ. This comes from using the initial letters for the Greek word for fish to spell out the Greek words for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior."
 
The Second Coming of Christ (Parousia): During the Ordinary Time Season that runs from the End of Easter Season to the start of Advent, one is to contemplate the second coming of Christ ----the end of the earth, the Last Judgement. This is pictured here with the resurrection of bodies suggested by crosses, and falling stars, the end of the earth.
 
Although the date is unknown, this window was in place by 1944.

Height: 11'

Width: 6'

The MSGC is a constantly evolving database. Not all the data that has been collected by volunteers has been sorted and entered. Not every building has been completely documented.

All images in the Index are either born-digital photographs of windows or buildings or are scans of slides, prints, or other published sources. These images have been provided by volunteers and the quality of the material varies widely.

If you have any questions, additions or corrections, or think you can provide better images and are willing to share them, please contact donald20@msu.edu