Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: St. John's Episcopal Church

Studio Name: Willet Hauser Architectural Glass

City: Royal Oak

Window Shape: 2 (rectangle)

Date of Window: 1942

Subject/Title of Window: Mary, Mother of Jesus

Brief Description of Subject: This window was designed for this parish's Gothic styled Church which opened in 1926. Subsequently the congregation needed a larger space and replaced this Church with a modern styled church which opened in 1957, taking the stained glass to the new church. This window is now located on the second level of the Gospel side transept.

This is the "Mary, the Mother of Jesus Window," and is bordered with geometric patterns as well as pictures of animals, boats, angels, buildings, et al.

On the top level is an angel holding a shield with attributes of the Virgin Mary --- lilies, symbolizing her purity, and a crown referencing her title as "Queen of Heaven."

Below this is a Nativity scene. From Luke 2:8 - 20, angels on high, point the way for the the shepherds to pay homage to the new born King. From Matthew 2:1 -12, the story "Visit of the Magi," comes the "Star of Bethlehem" seen above the stable. Verse 9, "The star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood where the child was," (NIV).

Below this the Virgin Mary is pictured: holding a book with a fleur-de-lis on its cover, a nimbus containing stars, and her son, the child Jesus, at her feet, posed in prayer.The fleur-de-lis, a stylized lily, symbolizes her purity. The stars in her nimbus comes from the belief that the woman described in Revelation 12:1 - 6 is the Virgin Mary --- "A great wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman .... a crown of twelve stars on her head," Verse 1 NIV. The book is referred to as "Mary's Book." it originated in early depictions of the Annunciation. Scholars have debated the meaning of that book. Among many possible explanations are a) a prayer book symbolizes her piety, b) a book symbolizes her acceptance of what God has chosen for her --- Psalm 139:16 (NIV) "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to me."

The inscription at the bottom is only partly visible. Church records show the window was given in memory of Minnie G. Greene by officers, teachers, and pupils of St. John's Church School, devoted friends, teachers of the Berkley Schools and members of the Story Tellers League, and dedicated on October 4, 1942.

Inscriptions: Mary The Mother of Jesus
In loving memory
Minnie Greene
To the glory of God


Condition of Window: Good

Type of Glass and Technique: Lead Came

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