Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

Click any image to enlarge.

MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: St. Joseph Oratory, formerly St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church

Studio Name: Tyrolese Art Glass Company

City: Detroit

Window Shape: 6 (gothic arched, more than 2 vertical sections)

Date of Window: 1903

Subject/Title of Window: Death of Joseph

Brief Description of Subject: Concept: St. Alphonsus Liguori's version of the death of St. Joseph.

Tradition attributes to this an Austrian origin. The window spreads its scene across the three lights, with architectural material above and below in frosted and silver stained stained glass typical of the turn of the century south German style.  Joseph reclines in the right foreground with Mary standing over him at his head and Christ, in a rich damask patterned robe at his feet. Above, in the center light, an angel, surrounded by cherubims, descends bearing the crown of sainthood.  The rest of the window contains foliate decoration in white and gold and the cinquefoil displays an angel carrying a banner. The left trefoil has a monogram in its center, which may refer to a donor no longer remembered.

Ironically, this window, not by Mayer, is the only example of the famous “Mayer” style in the church.

Scroll of top angel-- PRETIOSO IN CONSPECTU DOMINI MORS SANCTORUM EJUS. From Psalms 166:15 -- Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints

Inscription on open book: Fuitque Dominus cum eo et erat vir in cuntus (sic) prospere agens. From the Breviarum Romanum is a slight change from Gen. 39:2 -- "Joseph" has been changed to "him" since the Genesis verse applies to a different Joseph. "The Lord was with him and he prospered in all things."

As a note there is a misspelled word on the window "cuntus" should have been "cunctus".

Scroll across bottom -- ST. JOSEPH MORS
translates to "St. Joseph's death"

There is nothing scripturally on Joseph's death. Through the centuries there have been many Church scholars who have made up their versions. St. Joseph has become the patron saint of a happy death and thus there are many prayers to him to be said at the time of death. I believe the Stained glass window depicts parts of 2 prayers by St. Alphonsus of Liguori. I have written them out in full.

Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His saints. After having faithfully served Jesus and Mary, St. Joseph reached the end of his life in the house of Nazareth. There, surrounded by angels, assisted by Jesus Christ the King of angels, and by Mary, his spouse, who placed themselves at each side of his poor bed, filled with the peace of paradise, he departed from this miserable life. ...... St. Joseph grant me peace and resignation to God's will at the hour of my death. Amen

O St. Joseph, virgin father of Jesus and most pure spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray every day for us to the same Jesus, the son of God, that being defended by the power of His grace and striving dutifully, we may be crowned by Him at the hour of death. Amen
--Michael Surdyk, 10/12/2016

Inscriptions: Fiutque
Dominus
Cum Eo et
Erat Vir
Cuntus Prospere Agens
St. Joseph Mors
PRETIOSO IN CONSPECTU DOMINI MORS SANCTORUM EJUS


Condition of Window: Good

Height: ~23'

Width: ~7'

Type of Glass and Technique: Antique or Cathedral Glass, Enamel Paint, Lead Came, Vitreous Paint, Silver Stain

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