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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: Christ the King

Brief Description of Subject: This three lancet window is located on the facade. Its dominant theme is Christ the King.
 
Left Lancet
 
The top scene covers the birth of Christ the King and his worship as King of the Jews by the Magi. The inscription reads, "This day is born to you a Savior." These are the words uttered by an angel to shepherds in the field (Luke 2:11). Pictured for the Nativity are shepherds, Joseph with a staff, a cross, the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child who is giving a blessing, a manger, Christmas roses, and from Isaiah 1:3, an ox and donkey. Pictured for the Epiphany are the Star of Bethlehem, and three Magi offering gifts to the King of the Jews.
 
The bottom scene is the Escape to Egypt as covered in Matthew 1:13 - 19. Herod had heard from the Magi of the birth of the King of Jews in Bethlehem and ordered him killed. Warned by an angel, the Holy Family flees to Egypt. At the bottom left, the artist has added a Marian monogram to the scene.
 
Middle Lancet
 
The top scene illuminates Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem as covered in Luke 19:28 - 44. Jesus is pictured entering Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowd is laying palm branches in his path and chanting, "Blessed is the KIng who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (verse 38).
 
The center scene is dominated by the image of Christ the King. He is pictured wearing a crown and in his left hand, holding a scepter, a symbol for a king's power. This illuminates the inscription from Psalm 29:10, "Lord shall Be King Forever." The right hand of Christ is in the pose of giving a blessing and to the right of this hand are three white doves, symbols for peace. To the bottom left of Christ are people humbled by Christ the King. Together these illuminate the inscription from Psalm 29:11, "The Lord will bless his people in peace." At the top, Jesus' depiction is from the story of the soldiers mocking Jesus as found in Matthew 27:27 -31. Verses 28 -29, "They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head ... mocking him. 'Hail, king of the Jews." To the right of Christ the King is pictured the moment of his death (head down) on the cross. Pilate had handed over Jesus to be crucified by the Jews with the remark "Here is your king" Both his kneeling Mother and John, the one Jesus loved, are present for his death, however they are positioned towards Christ the King.
 
Pictured In the bottom scene is the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter (Vatican) and 12 sheep six on each side of the Basilica. Sheep are a symbol for followers of Christ the Good Shepherd.
 
Right Lancet
 
The top scene pictures the Ascension. Pictured is Christ rising up towards heaven witnessed by the 11 Apostles and his kneeling Mother. The inscription is John 17:11, "Father now I am coming to thee."
 
In the bottom scene is an eagle with a halo and scriptures. The eagle is the symbol for John the Evangelist, writer of a Gospel and Revelation. This symbol for John comes from an early connection with the Gospels of the four winged creatures, a man, lion, ox, and eagle, that surround the throne of Christ in Revelation 4:6 - 8. Eventually John's symbol became the eagle. Also seen are three men engulfed in flames. This could refer to purgatory or from a story in Daniel 3 in the Old Testament. It is a story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into a fiery furnace for denying the true God. They were subsequently saved unharmed by the true God.

Inscriptions: This Day Is Born To You A Savior
Lord Shall Be King Forever
The Lord Will Bless His People In Peace
Father Now I Am Coming To Thee


Height: 13'

Width: 13'

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