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Window of the Month
Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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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 12th Station of the Cross, Jesus Dies On The Cross

Brief Description of Subject: This is the 12th of 14 clerestory windows in the Church, seven on each side, which cover the Stations of the Cross. Traditionally at each stop there will be a time for meditation. For these windows the top section covers the station while the bottom section has a meditation for that station.
 
The 12th station is "Jesus dies on the cross." Pictured is Jesus' feet with blood flowing out of the nail wound. Above is a spear through a heart. This refers to John 19:34. To hasten death, the usual method was to break the legs, but the soldiers noticed he was already dead. So "instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood [indicates it had pierced the heart]." In apocryphal writing, the soldier that did this was named Longinius. The spear he used is called the "Holy Spear," and can be found with a statue of him in the Vatican.
 
The meditation for this station is, "You died so we may live." Pictured is a mother pelican, who according to legend, will peck her own breast so that she may feed her blood to her starving children that they may live. Thus the pelican became a symbol for Jesus as he shed his blood for our salvation.

Inscriptions: Jesus Dies On The Cross
You died so we may live


Height: 76"

Width: 36"

The 12th Station of the Cross, Jesus Dies On The Cross
The 12th Station of the Cross, Jesus Dies On The Cross
The 12th Station of the Cross, Jesus Dies On The Cross outside
The 12th Station of the Cross, Jesus Dies On The Cross outside

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