Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 11 — The Southern Cross, September 12, 1985
Majesty Of Stained Glass
(Continued from Page 10)
the quatrefoil an angel with flourished rib
bon scroll inscribed: “He was obedient un
to them.” Innsbruck glassmaker’s sym
bol. “In memory of Michael and Catherine
O’Neill.”
No. 4.
The Resurrection of Christ. Above in the
quatrefoil an angel with flourished ribbon
scroll inscribed: “He is risen He is not
here.” Innsbruck glassmaker’s symbol.
“In memory of John Fitzgerald and Fami
ly.”
No. 5.
The Boy Jesus among Doctors in the
Temple at Jerusalem. Above in the
quatrefoil an angel with flourished ribbon
scroll inscribed: “All were astonished at
His Wisdom.” Signed with Innsbruck
^ glassmaker’s symbol. “In memory of
James J. McGowan.”
TRANSEPT WINDOWS
Having thus completed your tour of the
aisle windows you have not failed to notice
two of the most beautiful windows in the
Cathedral: that of our Lord’s Ascension
(north transept) and that of the Assump
tion of the Blessed Virgin Mary (south
transept). Formerly the two large
transept windows had pictures of the
Adoration of the Wise Men, and the
Crucifixion; these, however, were
destroyed in the fire of 1898.
NORTH TRANSEPT WINDOW
Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ with
His Blessed Mother and Apostles witness
ing the Miracle. This large window is spec
tacularly glorious. The disposition of col
ors emphasizes the ethereal brilliant white
and gold of the resplendent Christ. The
majesty and foreshortening of the figure of
God the Father is Michelangelo-like. The
large quatrefoil (of 3 cusps to each of its 4
lobes set within a circle) forms a Gothic
rose and depicts the outstretched arms of
God the Father to receive the Son. Two
small quatrefoils each contain a winged
celestial head. Signed with Innsbruck
glassmaker’s symbol, the window is “A
tribute of affectionate respect to Right
Rev. Thomas A. Becker, Bishop of Savan
nah, from two friends.”
SOUTH TRANSEPT WINDOW
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
with escort of angels. This large window
(companion-piece to the Ascension oppsite
on north part of transept) is also spec
tacularly glorious. Its brilliantly rich col
ors glow with intensity from varying out
side light according to seasons of year and
hours of day. The figure of the Blessed
Virgin is modeled after Murillo’s painting
. of the Assumption in the Prado at Madrid.
Like the window of the Ascension, the
Assumption’s large quatrefoil of 3 cusps to
each of its 4 lobes and set within a circle
forms a gothic rose. In this quatrefoil God
the Son holds a crown for coronation of His
Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven. Two
small quatrefoils each contains a winged
celestial head. Signed with Innsbruck
glassmaker’s symbol, the window is “In
loving memory of my daughter Mayla
Lilia McDonough.”
\Jjf
TOWER WINDOWS
In the southwest and northwest sections
of the choir loft can be seen two twin sets of
stained glass windows, each depicting
musical instruments and phraseology in
timately connected with church song. The
harp, a pair of tympani with muted
drumsticks, the cornet, the oboe, the
trumpet and the violin are all part of
church history now; but once these in-
w struments blended with the human voice to
praise God, as the windows show, with
“Gloria in excelsis Deo,” “Te Deum
Laudamus,” “Credo in Unum Deum,” and
THE GREAT ROSE WINDOW
St. Cecilia, Patroness of Music. This is the Cathedral’s
great rose window. This stained glass, Gothic medallion, in
the center of the Choir-loft, is a quaterfoil in which St. Cecilia
is represented with her emblem, the portable organ. Ten
radiations, each terminating in a medallion, contain celestial
figures singing and performing upon musical in
struments—harps, triangles, violins. Ten outer foliated
rosettes and smaller variously shaped intersections ter
minate the 10 radiations. Threaded among the radiations is a
wide ribbon scroll inscribed: “In Memory of Helen Cecilia
Blun.” This magnificent piece of workmanship was probably
made by the Innsbruck glassmaker.
“Christe eleison.” All but one of these
tower windows, that featuring the cornet
and oboe, bear the signature of the Inn
sbruck glassmaker.
LANCET WINDOWS
Below the great windows of the
Cathedral: the Ascension, the Assumption,
and the rose window, there are 13 lancet
windows,—four under each transept win
dow and five under the great rose window
in the choir loft. Below the north transept
window depicting the Ascension, the four
pendant-like lancet windows represent
The Christ Child—the Incarnation, “Gift of
Matthew and Lawrence Dunn”; The Bless
ed Virgin Mary—the Immaculate Concep
tion, “In memory of Mary Boldridge”; St.
Catherine of Alexandria, “In memory of
George Boldridge”; and The Youthful St.
John, Apostle and Evangelist, “In
memory of Jeremiah McGrohan”. Below
the south transept window depicting the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the four lancet windows picture St. An
thony of Padua with the Infant Jesus, “Gift
of Mary A. Nally”; St. Dorothea, “In
memory of Right Reverend Benjamin
Keiley, 7th Bishop of Savannah”; St.
George, “In memory of Ignatius Cardinal
Persico, 4th Bishop of Savannah”; and
The Blessed Virgin Mary Mater Amabilis,
“In memory of John O’Reiley”. Below the
Window featuring St. Cecilia
and St. Agnes which survived 1898
fire.
as five lancet windows are customary ap
pendages to a great Gothic rose window, it
is probable that they were given by the
same person or persons “In Memory of
Helen Cecelia Blun.” Only 5 of the lancet
windows, those under the rose window, are
signed with Innsbruck glassmaker’s sym
bol; however, it is more probable than not
that the others, too, have the same origin.
VESTIBULE WINDOWS
Even to the smallest detail the Cathedral
of St. John the Baptist is not wanting in
stained glass windows. A perusal of the
center doors at the entrance of the
vestibule depicts a single lily motif filling
small medallion quatrefoils in each of the
wooden doors; and on each side of the cen
tral entrance doors, deeply recessed in the
masonry walls, you will notice one very
narrow, slotted lancet window filled with
geometric architectual patterns. In the
north tower vestibule there is another
small but extremely colorful lancet win
dow; while in the south tower vestibule
there are two other small lancet windows
symbolizing the Seat of Wisdom and the
Miraculous Medal, both windows in honor
of the Blessed Virgin Mary. These latter
two stained glass windows are signed by a
glassmaker: F. Mayer, Munich, and are
“In memory of Robert M. Beytagh, Feb. 2,
1933”.
great Gothic rose window and pendant-like
to it are 5 lancet windows, each one entire
ly of intricate foliated designs. The donors
of these last 5 windows are not shown; but