Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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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: The Seven Sacraments

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 oval-ish shape and the color of amber.
 
Left Lancet Top to Bottom
 
The Seven Sacraments and the Holy Spirit: Pictured is a descending dove (Holy Spirit), and seven tongues of fire (the seven sacraments). From the Catholic Catechism, "The sacraments themselves are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his body, the Church."
 
Baptism: From the pamphlet "Description of the Symbols in the Chapel Windows" --- Pictured is "The shell and life-giving waters [of Baptism] as evidenced by the growing flower within the stream of water."
 
Confirmation: Pictured is a descending dove (Holy Spirit) giving off tongues of fire. The tongues of fire represent the seven gifts the Holy Spirit bestows on those being confirmed.
 
Holy Eucharist: Pictured is a chalice, a sacred vessel used to hold the blood of Christ (the transubstantiated wine) in the celebration of the Eucharist.
 
Penance: This Sacrament stems from Christ's words to Peter in Matthew 16:19 - 20, " I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." This is pictured here with crossed keys. The key to the earth is the green key with the image of a dove (Holy Spirit), and the key to heaven is the gold key with an image of a fish (Jesus Christ).
 
Right lancet top to bottom
 
The Seven Sacraments and the Holy Spirit: Same as the top of the left lancet.
 
The Seven Sacraments and Christ: Pictured by seven streams (the seven sacraments) of living water (divine grace) flowing from the hand of Christ (cross).
 
Marriage: Pictured is a stole decorated with crosses --- a garment worn by a priest during the administration of sacraments, and a hand (Priest/Christ) on interlocking rings --- this illustrates Jesus' words repeated at the marriage ceremony, "What God joins together, let no man put asunder." (Matthew 10:9)
 
Holy Orders: Pictured is a stole and book. There are three types of ordinations given in the Catholic Church --- bishop, priest, and deacon. In the ordination of a priest, the bishop gives the newly ordained priest a stole to symbolize he has the authority from God to administer the sacraments. In the ordination of a deacon, the bishop gives the newly ordained deacon a copy of the Book of Gospels and tells him, "Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach."
 
Anointing of the Sick: Pictured here with a container to hold Oleum Infirmorum (oil for the sick), and an olive branch --- as the oil normally used in the administering of this sacrament is olive oil.

Although the exact date is unknown, this window was in place by 1944.

Height: 11'

Width: 6'

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