Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: Christ the King Catholic Church

Artist Name: Andrew R. Maglia

City: Detroit

Window Shape: 2 (rectangle)

Date of Window: 1962

Subject/Title of Window: The Pieta

Brief Description of Subject: All five gospel side aisle windows illuminate a scene from the life of the Virgin Mary. In sacred art, this scene is called "The Pieta," the Italian word for pity or compassion. It consists, as here, of the Virgin Mary cradling her crucified Son. The artist has added an oak leaf (symbol of strength of faith) at the bottom of this scene.
 
In the predella is the Mystical Rose, a thornless rose. This is a Marian title that comes from the idea that in the Garden of Eden all roses were thornless but because of Adam's sin they now had thorns. The Blessed Virgin Mary however was not born with the sin of Adam hence she is like a thornless rose. Also seen is a sword through a heart. This comes from Simeon's words to Mary at the presentation of Jesus in the Temple --- After taking Jesus in his arms and praising God he told Mary, "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. A sword will pierce your own soul too" (Luke 2:34 - 35).

Height: 80"

Width: 33"

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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