Window
Building Name: St. James Episcopal ChurchStudio Name: Lamb (J. and R.) Co.
City: Birmingham
Window Shape: 2 (rectangle)
Subject/Title of Window: Christ in Orans
Brief Description of Subject: This window is located in the aisle of the Children's Chapel. All of the windows in the Chapel were designed to relate to children and provide a learning experience for them.
Christ, in the orans pose, is magnificently costumed in his traditional colors of red, from revelations 22:13, Jesus "is dressed in a robe dripped with blood," white from Matthew 28:3, in the Transfiguration Christ is seen in a garment "white as the light," and gold, the color of Divinity. The whole portrait is encased in a mandorla, and speckled with five pointed stars which symbolize the five wounds of Christ.
At the top of the window is the sun and a crescent moon. In art, this grouping is associated with the crucifixion. For example, the famous Mond Crucifixion by Raphael features the sun with a crescent moon, which symbolized the moment Christ died on the cross, Luke 23:44 - 46.
To Christ's right and left are the capital Greek letters Alpha and Omega. This comes from Jesus' words in Revelation 22:13 KJV, "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."
In the predella is the start of Christ's words recorded in all of the synoptic Gospels, "Let little children come to me ... for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." At the bottom, the Chi Rho Christogram formed from the first two capital letters of the Greek spelling of Christ. The Chi Rho is positioned in a green colored cross. The green color symbolizes life over death.
Cherries, the heavenly fruit of paradise, are sprinkled throughout the window.
Inscriptions: Let Little Children Come To Me
Height: 59"
Width: 39"
Type of Glass and Technique: Antique or Cathedral Glass
Christ in Orans
Raphael Mond Crucifixion
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