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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 6-The Quails and the Manna

Brief Description of Subject: This is the sixth 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:
 
6 eme Cdt --- 6th Commandment
Fleur de lys --- Lily Flower
Anneaux du Mariage --- Wedding Rings
Les Cailles et La Manne --- The Quails and the Manna
Vol d'oiseau --- Flying Birds
Manna en pluie d'or --- Golden Rain of Manna
 
The story of the Quails and Manna is told in Exodus 16 --- While camping out in the wilderness, the Israelites were complaining they had no food. Moses told the Lord about this and "The Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you' ... Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat and in  the morning you will be filled with bread' ... That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning ... thin flakes like frost ... appeared on the desert ground ... Moses said, 'this is the bread the Lord has given you' ... The people of Israel called the bread, manna." This is used by Christ in John 6:49 -51. " Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died ... I am the living bread which came down from heaven, If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever." (RSVCE).
 
The left panel pictures a golden rain of manna falling into what appears to be a boat. The right two panels feature the camp of the Israelites covered overhead with many small quail and one large one. The camp includes a blue tent separated from the others --- this is the "tent of meeting."
 
Tent of Meeting: When the Israelites had a problem, like their complaint of no food, they would arrange to meet Moses in front of this tent. Moses would then enter the tent and mediate the problem with God. The people knew God was present when they saw a pillar of cloud over the tent. After the Ark of the Covenant (God's house) was built, it was placed in this tent. This tent was now called the "Tabernacle," Latin word for tent. 
 
The middle panel pictures a lily flower. As a symbol, the lily flower is the flower of purity and associated with the Virgin Mary, as well as with the Trinity, as it is made up of three parts forming one. Also seen in the middle panel are wedding rings --- possibly pointing to the Wedding Feast of Cana (the Virgin Mary was involved) or the symbolic marriage of Christ to the Church from the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.

Condition of Window: Good

Height: 4'

Width: 15'

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

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