Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: Holy Redeemer Church

City: Burton

Window Shape: 2 (rectangle)

Subject/Title of Window: Hebrew Women

Brief Description of Subject: The next window calls attention to some of the better known women in the Hebrew Scripture. At the top we see Ruth as she gathers the gleaned grains of wheat (Ruth Ch. 2) Behind Ruth and to her left is her mother in law, Naomi in the tent. Although Ruth was not a Jewish woman, she made a beautiful pledge of loyalty to remain with Naomi who was a widow.  We also see forms which depict wheat, barley, grapes, fig, pomegranates, olives and dates. These were the seven fruits which the Jews carried through the streets during the harvest festival (Shavuot) which they gave to the poor and needy. During the harvest festival the Hebrew people also reflected on the given of the Ten Commandments. The Hebrew letter within the perimeter of the border are a reminder of the Commandments.  The book of Ruth was also read during the harvest festival. Below and slightly to the left of center we see the nine branch candelabra (Menorah) which is used during the celebration of Hanukah, the Festival of Lights (celebrated in December). During this festival the story of Judith is read. The wall and the head of a man remind us of how Judith plotted against the Holocene’s and finally beheaded them. Under Ruth we see the image of a runner with a torch. By relaying a burning torch from Modin to Tel Aviv, the Hebrews were reminded of the victory of the Maccabees.

At the bottom of the center window we see the scroll of Esther which was read during the Feat of Purim. In the book of Esther we read about her victory over homonym and how she saved the life of her adopted father Mordecai. The name of Haman I written on the sole of a foot to symbolize the disgust the people felt for him. In some countries his name was rubbed into the floor when this story was read. The whip like object behind the name of Haman is called a gragger or bull roared. It is a simple rod with a string attached at the end of the string is a thin board. When twirled this instrument creates a strange roar or noise. It was used when the Book of Esther was read as a way of showing contempt for Haman.   


Type of Glass and Technique: Opalescent Glass

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