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Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: Mariners' Church

Studio Name: Lamb (J. and R.) Co.

City: Detroit

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

Subject/Title of Window: Thaddeus and Simon

Brief Description of Subject: The nave windows on the right side consists of Apostles and St. Paul with their shields. Below this are scenes which, with 2 exceptions, are taken from the life of Christ.

Above the lancets of the Apostles Thaddeus and Simon is seen two peacocks drinking from a Eucharistic chalice. This image appeared on early Church mosaics and has been popular ever since. In legend the flesh of a peacock is incorruptible, thus this image symbolizes eternal life through the Eucharist. The borders of the lancets feature oak leaves and acorns symbolizing strength.

In the left lancet is St. Thaddeus, aka St. Jude, holding a scroll inscribed with the word "FAITH". This attribute comes from his epistle which he "found it necessary to write to exhort you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). His shield contains a sailboat symbolizing his travels to preach the "Word of God."

In the right lancet is St. Simon the Zealot. A fish and a book are his main attributes and are seen both in his lancet as well as his shield. They are meant to symbolize that he was a fisher of men through the power of the Gospel.

The scene on the left depicts "Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene" which is covered in John 20:11-18 --- (paraphrasing) On Sunday, Mary stood outside the empty tomb crying and thought they had taken the body of Jesus and wondered where they had put it. She turned around and saw Jesus, but did not recognize him. Thinking him a gardener, she asked him where they had put his body. "Jesus said to her, 'Mary'. She faced him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means 'Teacher')." The shield in the top left corner contains a butterfly which symbolizes the "Resurrection" --- this comes from its life cycle, it starts life (born) as a caterpillar, then disappears (dies) into a cocoon (tomb), and later emerges (resurrects) as a butterfly. The shield at the top right corner contains a ring cross, commonly called a "Celtic Cross".

The scene on the right is "The Ascension of Jesus" which is covered in Acts 1:6-9 (RSV) "So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them 'It is not for you to know times or seasons ... But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all of Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.' And when he said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight." The shields at the top corners contain "tongues of fire", the form the Holy Spirit will take when it comes upon them at Pentecost.

At the bottom right is the maker's signature "the Lamb Studios".

Inscriptions: In Memoriam
Captain Lewis Ludington
1858 1934
In Memoriam
Fandira H. Ludington
1859 1952


Height: 14' 9.5"

Width: 4' 4.5"

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.

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