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: 1943

Subject/Title of Window: St. Luke and St. Barnabas

Brief Description of Subject: This window was designed for this parish's Gothic styled church which opened in 1926. Subsequently, the Church needed a larger church and replaced this Church with a modern styled church which opened in 1957. They moved the stained glass windows to the new church. This window is now located on the second level of the facade which features the Apostles.

This is the "St. Luke and St. Barnabas Window." In the previous Church, these were separate windows. Each panel is bordered with geometric patterns as well as pictures of animals, angels, buildings, et al.

St. Luke Panel:
The top level depicts an angel holding a shield with a winged ox. This attribute of Luke comes from the early connection to the Evangelists of four similar winged creatures that appear in both Ezekiel 1:10 and Revelation 4:6 - 7. The four winged creatures had heads of a human, lion, ox, and eagle. Luke became the winged ox as his Gospel begins with the sacrifice of incense in the Temple by the priest Zachariah and the ox is an animal used in sacrifices.

Below this is the figure of Luke holding a quill pen and a book, attributes of a Gospel writer. The scene above the figures head is explained by the inscription which is found in 2Timothy 4:11. While imprisoned in Rome, sensing the end was near, Paul wrote a letter to Timothy asking if he could get his close friends to come and visit him as "ONLY LUKE IS WITH ME," (NIV). Originally, below the figure would have been the inscription "St. Luke."

At the bottom would have been a memorial inscription, however it is no longer there. Church records show this panel had been given in memory of M. Adele Osgood by her daughter, Mrs. Ruth G. Rhodes and dedicated January 10, 1943.

St. Barnabas Panel:
In his lifetime, St. Barnabas was called an "Apostle" by reason of his relationship with St. Paul. Barnabas was one of the original 70 disciples of Christ and introduced the newly converted Paul to the Apostles and prepared Paul for his missionary work, accompanying him on his first mission.

The top level depicts an angel holding a shield with a book and shepherd's crook. The book is that of the gospel of Matthew. In the "Acts of Barnabas" there is a story that Barnabas received a copy of the Gospel of Matthew and performed miracles using it. There is a legend that when the tomb of Barnabas was opened it contained a copy of the Gospel of Matthew. The shepherd's crook is used as a symbol of a bishop. Legend has Barnabas as the first bishop of Milan.

Below this is the figure of Barnabas holding a walking stick and canteen --- symbolizing his travels as a missionary. Above his figure is a scene with St. Paul in a boat with Barnabas gesturing him outside the boat. After their first mission trip together, while planning for a second, they had a falling out, which is covered in Acts 15:36 - 41. Barnabas wanted his cousin Mark to accompany them but Paul refused because Mark had deserted them on their first mission. So they went their separate ways, Paul sailed to Syria while Barnabas to Cyprus. Originally, below the figure would have been the inscription "St. Barnabas."

At the bottom would have been a memorial inscription, however it is no longer there. Church records indicate this panel had been given in the memory of Raymond E. Davis as a gift from his family and friends and dedicated June 3, 1945.

Inscriptions: Only Luke is with me
Barnabas
Paul


Condition of Window: Good

Type of Glass and Technique: Lead Came

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