St. Mary Delaware Virtrual Tour : Stained Glass Medallions
The Holy Spirit
"After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.'" (Matthew 3:16-17). As in the Genesis story of the flood, the dove is generally portrayed carrying an olive branch as a sign of peace with God.
Keys to the Kingdom
In Matthew 16:18-20, Jesus says to Peter: "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hell will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and Whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Throughout history the keys have symbolized the authority that Jesus gave to Peter and his successors, the Popes, to govern His Church.
The Anchor
The writer of Hebrews says that we have "Hope" set before us "as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm" (Hebrews 6:19-20). The hope spoken of here is obviously not concerned with earthly, but with heavenly things, and the anchor as a Christian symbol, consequently, relates only to the hope of salvation.
The Cross - The Way of Peace
In 1 Colossians 1:2-3, St. Paul reminds us "...and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross." Peace here is Portrayed by olive branches draping the Cross of Christ. The paradox of the Christian faith is that true peace can only be found through the blood of the cross. Only Jesus could reconcile us with the Father. Likewise, it is only by dying to ourselves and living for Christ that we can find real life and peace.
The Archangel - Gabriel
St. Mary is the patroness of our parish. The Archangel Gabriel is the angel that appeared to Mary and announced to her "You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High" (Luke 1:3-32). Gabriel is a messenger from God who proclaims to Mary that salvation has come to humanity. Gabriel announces the first coming of the Son of God.
Angels of Revelation
"And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets" (Revelation 9:2). In the Book of Revelation, seven angels prepare the way of the Son of God's second coming by blowing their trumpets. Just as the Archangel Gabriel announced the first coming of the Son of God into our world, the seven angels trumpet the completion of all time and generations with the fulfillment of God to make a new Heaven and a new Earth through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Winged Hour Glass - Time Flies
The winged hour glass refers to the modern colloquial phrase "time flies," to remind us that our time here on earth is very brief compared to eternity. A warning to use our time wisely and always oriented with eternity in mind.
The Pelican - Metaphor of Christ
In Christian history, the mother pelican was thought to pierce her breast until she bled in order to feed her young with her blood. Thus, the pelican came to depict Christ our Savior, who feeds us with his blood in order to give us eternal life. In this image, the pelican is a metaphor for Christ in the Eucharist.
The Harp
The harp was a common musical instrument for Jewish and Christian worship. King David played the harp in house of the Lord (1 Samuel 6:5). The harp plays a tune that only the redeemed can learn (Revelation 14:2-3). The harp is in our church to remind us of the importance of music in the worship of the Lord.
The Eye of the Eternal God
A Christian illustration of the omnipotent and omniscient quality of the Eternal God is portrayed in the image of an eye that is always open, all-seeing, and infinitely aware. God who sees everything and knows everything will provide for us and reward our goodness (Matthew 6).
Ecce Agnus Dei
This medallion depicts a lamb carrying a banner with these words. Ecce Agnus Dei – "Behold the Lamb of God." Words out of the prophet John the Baptist's mouth in John 1:29, 36., referring to Jesus Christ as the lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world. A lamb who sacrifices himself, as a spotless innocent for the guilt of fallen humanity.
Eucharistic Monstrance
The Monstrance holds the Eucharistic Host so that Christ’s Presence might be worshiped and adored.
Ave Maria Proclamation
In Luke 1:28, the Angel of God, Gabriel, appeared to Mary and proclaimed: "Ave Maria" or "Hail Mary" and told her she was favored by God and would bear the Son of God.
Immaculate Heart of Mary
When the babe Jesus was presented in the temple, Simeon pronounced, "And a sword will pierce your own heart, too" (Luke 2:35). Mary's Immaculate Heart has suffered with her own Son’s Sacred Heart. The white flowers symbolize her purity, the sword her suffering, and the flames her passion for the redemption of God's people.
Lamb of God
This second medallion of the Lamb of God, depicts a lamb carrying a banner with these words. Ecce Agnus Dei – "Behold the Lamb of God." Words out of the prophet John the Baptist’s mouth in John 1:29, 36., referring to Jesus Christ as the lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world. A lamb who sacrifices himself, as a spotless innocent for the guilt of fallen humanity.
In Hoc Signo Vinces
In the year 312, the Emperor of Rome had a vision in the sky, a cross with the inscription: In Hoc Signo Vinces – "In This Sign, Conquer." The first Roman Emperor to embrace Christianity, Constantine trusted in this sign of the cross, and eventually liberated Christians to freely worship Jesus Christ as the One, True God.
Holy Bible
The Holy Bible is the Word of God. Christ gave to his Church the power to interpret the scriptures through the teaching authority of the disciples and their successors, the Pope and the Bishops. Thus, Tradition and Scriptures continue to guide Christ’s Church to this day and beyond.
The Trinity
An ancient formula for memorizing the relationship of the three persons in the Trinity: "Father is God, Son is God, The Spirit is God. The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Spirit. The Spirit is not the Father."
The Cross - Our Crown of Victory
The Cross of Christ is the crown of eternal life, a reed of victory over the death of sin. Only through the death of Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word of God, can the sting of sin and death be defeated. As St. Paul states: "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14).
Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews
The letters "INRI" are initials for the Latin title that Pontius Pilate had inscribed over the head of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 19:19-22). The words were "Iesus Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm." Latin uses "I" instead of the English "J", and "V" instead of "U." The English translation is "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."
Resurrection Cross
In John 20: 6-8, the Apostles Peter & John arrived at the empty tomb of Christ and saw His burial cloths, which was a sign of his resurrection. In Christian iconography, these white burial cloths are often depicted as strewn over the Cross of Christ, as a symbol of the victory of resurrection of new life over the death of the Cross.
The Crown of New Life
In Revelations 13:11, Jesus reminds us: "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no-one will take your crown." The crown is the reward of everlasting life, won by the blood of the Lamb of God and given to the believer, with the assistance of the heavenly hosts of angels. Christian iconography often depicts an angel placing the crown upon the head of the believer upon entrance into heaven.
The Blood of the New Covenant
In Luke 22:20, Jesus told his disciples at the Last Supper: "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." The grapes symbolize the wine turned to blood, the blood of the New Covenant, which gives us eternal life.
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