The large central panel shows Christ, the king of Kings, as worshipped by “saints, apostles, prophets, martyrs” who are portrayed by a set of figures in each lancet. Saints Mark and Luke are presented at the left as followers of Christ; Saints peter and John the apostles. Made by Bots and Miesen of Cologne, Germany.
The Old Testament prophet Isaiah and Moses with the tables of the Law represent the Law and the Prophets.
At the far right, Saint Lawrence with the grill in his hand (the manner of his death) and Saint Stephen with the stones (the manner of his death) symbolize the martyrs of the early Church. Both St. Lawrence and Stephen were also deacons in the Church, and their images in this window remind us of the importance of the ministry of service in the Church.
The small medallions in the lower part of the window borrow their theme from the Litany. Particularly, they call to mind the means whereby Christ became our Savior. “By the mystery of your Holy Incarnation; by Your Holy Birth; by Your Baptism, Fasting and Temptation; by Your Agony and Bloody Sweat; by Your Cross and Passion; by Your Precious Death and Burial; by Your Glorious Resurrection and Ascension; …help us, Good Lord…”
In the apex of the window, the Quatrefoil brings to mind our Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each portrayed by an appropriate symbol:
Quatrefoil: An ornamental design like a four-petal flower is used widely in the decoration of ecclesiastical architecture, in stained glass, and in wrought ironwork.
Lamb of God: God the Son
Dove: God the Holy Spirit
All Seeing Eye: God the Father. Usually pictured within a triangle above the altar, the all-seeing eye symbolizes the Father’s omniscience.
The Shield of the Trinity: found chiefly in stained glass of medieval churches. Read the words in any direction to find four groups of sentences. Two consist of positive statements regarding that particular Person of the Trinity, and the other statements declare what that particular Person of the Trinity is not. Since the Holy Trinity is a Mystery to Christians, this is only a feeble human attempt to identify the Mystery.
