The Sanctuary Stained Glass Windows

The Large Diamond or Rose Window

The architect designed a large "diamond" shape window on the East wall with strong vertical, horizontal, and diagonal mullions. He began with a perfect circle in the center of the window. Around the circle are two squares, one square is indeed equal on all four sides and is orientated vertically and horizontally. The second square is actually a repeat of the shape of the diamond window and is oriented on a diagonal. This geometry creates the illusion of being round. The circle is then repeated seventeen times and within twelve of these circles is the symbol of each of the twelve Apostles. As with most of the traditional Christian depiction of the Apostles, Judas Iscariot is absent, but Matthias is present.

The glass is hand blown and has been and has been embellished with a glass oxide, fired at 1200 degrees. This oxide helps reduce the potential glare from the East.

Beginning at the top of the Diamond Window and moving clock-wise, the symbols and the disciples they represent are as follows:

The chalice and the serpent represent the Apostle John, identified by some in Christian tradition as the so-called "Beloved Disciple." Christian tradition states that an attempt was made to poison John. However, John made a sign of the cross over the chalice, and the poison escaped in the form of a snake. Following this miraculous "near miss," John goes on to be the only disciple of the Twelve to elude martyrdom and die a natural death.

The ship represents Jude, also called Thaddeus, or Judas not Iscariot. Jude's symbol is the ship because it is said that he sailed along the coast of Galilee on many missionary journeys preaching to the fishermen on the shore before he was martyred by arrows.

The cross and two loaves of bread represent the Apostle Philip. According to John 6:7, Philip is the disciple who arranged the provisions for the feeding of the 5,000 by bringing the boy with the loaves of bread to Jesus. Philip is said to have been timid, slow of heart and spiritual grasp, but through the loaves of bread we see that Philip's talents were of a practical nature; this Apostle was martyred by a spear.

The Bible and the fish represent Simon the Zealot. This symbol was assigned to Simon because according to tradition Simon was a great "fisher of men" through the power of the Gospel. He is said to have been a companion of Jude's on many of Jude's missionary journeys.

The spear and the carpenter's square represent the Apostle Thomas. From the Gospels, we learn that Thomas did not immediately believe the testimony of the other disciples regarding Jesus' resurrection. Only after Jesus appears to him and he puts his hands in Jesus' wounds is Thomas able to cry out, "My Lord and my God." Thus, Thomas' designation as "doubting Thomas." The carpenter square corresponds to tradition that suggests that Thomas went to East India as a missionary, and at Malipur built a church with his own hands. There, Thomas is said to have been killed by a pagan priest's spear.

The three knives represent Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael. In John 1:49, Nathanael confesses his faith in Jesus saying, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" The three parallel knives, used in ancient times for skinning animals, depict Bartholomew's/Nathanael's painful death of being flayed alive.

The three scallop shells represent James the Greater, the brother of John, the son of Zebedee. Because tradition attributes to him wide travels, James the Greater is assigned three scallop shells that symbolize pilgrimage and missionary journey. The scallop shell is also the symbol for baptism representing James' success in baptizing many new Christians on his missionary journeys. According to Acts 12:2, James is the first of the twelve disciples to be martyred for his faith when he is beheaded by Herod with the sword.

The Cross Saltire represents the Apostle Andrew. This X-shaped cross is, according to tradition, the form of cross on which Andrew was crucified in Greece. Andrew's call to discipleship is recorded in Matt. 4:18 when Jesus invites Andrew to abandon his former occupation as a fisherman and instead "fish for people."
The Bible and the ax represent the Apostle Matthias. Chosen by lot, Matthias was made one of the twelve to take the place of Judias Iscariot, who in humiliation from his betrayal of Jesus took his own life. Matthias' symbol of the Bible and the ax originates from the tradition that Matthias was beheaded with a primitive battle-ax for preaching the Gospel in Judea.

The inverted Latin Cross and two keys represent the Apostle Peter. The upside-down cross represents the tradition that Peter requested that he be crucified head downward because he did not think himself worthy of dying in the same manner as his Lord Jesus. The two large keys correspond to Matt. 16:13-19 where following Peter's confession of Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus promises to build his church upon Peter's faithful witness and give to him the keys of heaven.

The three money bags represent the Apostle Matthew. Matthew, according to the Gospel that bears his name, is a tax collector. The Gospels of Mark and Luke name him Levi. The three money bags represent Matthew's reviled occupation of exacting collections from the Jews to pay to the Romans. According to tradition, Matthew was martyred in Ethiopia on a Tau (T-shaped) Cross.

The saw represents James the Lesser. Tradition has it that at the age of 96, James the Lesser was taken to the top of the Temple in Jerusalem and pushed off. Although seriously injured, James staggered to his feet, begging God to forgive his enemies. This only angered his opponents more so they stoned him and finally killed him with a club. His dead body was then sawed apart.

The Diamond Window, depicting the lives and deaths of the Twelve Apostles, is a constant reminder in our worship life together of the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us and are examples for our Christian faith.