Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

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

Studio Name: Detroit Stained Glass Works, The

City: Detroit

Window Shape: 5 (gothic arched, 2 vertical sections)

Date of Window: 1873

Subject/Title of Window: Holy Family with John the Baptist and John the Evangelist

Brief Description of Subject: This window shows the Holy Family with John Evangelist on the left and John the Baptist on the right. The Saints stand above predella panels of Gothic diaper and below canopies, in typical mid-century German revival style. This window may have been the work of Friederichs and Staffin artist Ignace Schott, who painted the window at Most Holy Trinity Church during the same year.

Description of each figure:

John the Evangelist with book indicating a Gospel writer and holding a chalice with a serpent rising out of it alludes to the legend he was given a cup of poisoned wine and when he blessed it the poison turned into a snake.

Virgin Mary and the Christ Child.

Joseph holding a flowering staff symbolizing that he was "Chosen by God". This comes come Numbers 17: 1- 10 which relates the story that the Israelites were complaining to Moses about picking a leader from the 12 tribes. The Lord told Moses to collect a staff from each of the tribes and place them in front of the ark of the covenant. The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout. The staff of the tribe of Levi belonged to Aaron. When they came back the next day, Aaron's staff had not only sprouted but budded, blossomed and produced almonds. Thus a flowering staff is the sign of being "Chosen by God".

John the Baptist pointing to heaven with his right hand, symbolizing the coming of Christ (other interpretations are possible). In his left hand he holds a medallion with the picture of a lamb which represents Christ as John the Baptist led the way to Christ. His left hand grasps a reed topped with a cross with a banner that has the inscription "Ecce Agnus Dei" taken from John 1:29 -- John the Baptist's words when referring to Jesus says " Behold the lamb of God".

Inscriptions: Nov. den 16, 1873 gabe des Liebesbund St. Josephs


Condition of Window: Fair

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

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.

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