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Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: St. Andrew's Church

Studio Name: Loire (Gabriel) Studios

City: Rochester

Window Shape: 2 (rectangle)

Date of Window: 1969

Subject/Title of Window: The Story of Salvation, Part 5-Passage of the Red Sea

Brief Description of Subject: This is the fifth of a series of 10 windows located along the sides of the nave. According to the Church "The theme of the faceted art glass at St. Andrew is the Story of Salvation." This is done through the story of the exodus of God's chosen people from Egypt. Each window, in somewhat chronological order, depicts God's hand in freeing his chosen people from enslavement by the Pharaoh, making a covenant with them, and leading them on a path to the land of milk and honey. This parallels Christ dying to free us from the sin of Adam, making a new covenant, and with his resurrection, a promise of heaven. In addition to the story of this exodus, there are symbols that appear to be unrelated to this narrative. There is also numerology --- each of the 10 windows is made with four panels, totaling 40 panels. 10 is the number of the Commandments and 40 is the number used throughout the Bible to symbolize new creation.
 
The artist's watercolor for each of these windows names the key objects depicted and will be listed with translations from French. For this window:
 
5 eme Cdt. --- 5th Commandment
Le Couteau --- The Knife
Passage de la Mer Rouge --- Passage of the Red Sea
(Les Eaux Separets) --- The Waters Separate
 
The story of the Passage of the Red Sea is told in Chapter 14 of Exodus. Pictured is verses 21 - 22, "Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry land, the waters being a wall to them on the right hand and their left." (RSVCE). The knife. held by the outstretched arms, divides the red colored sea into two walls, one right and one left, with the blue and purple figures of the Israelites passing between them. The handle of the knife is green --- the color of vegetation and Spring, so it has become a symbol of life.  
 
The passage of the Red Sea is the great salvation story of the Old Testament --- the crossing freed the Israelites from slavery. Paul in 1Corinthians 10:2, finds a parallel with this in Baptism, "Our fathers were all under the cloud [God], and all passed through the sea. All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and the sea." (RSVCE). From Romans 6:3 and Mark 16:16, We are "baptized into Christ" and "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." (RSVCE). 

Condition of Window: Good

Height: 4'

Width: 15'

Type of Glass and Technique: Slab or Faceted Glass (Dalle de Verre)

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