THE WINDOWS
BENITEZ CHAPEL IN THE
Photos taken by EHS Staff
THE WINDOWS
BENITEZ CHAPEL IN THE
When Episcopal High School acquired the chapel in 1982, the windows were all frosted glass. Bishop Benitez, for whom the chapel is named, was eager to replace the frosted glass with stained glass depicting the story of Jesus’ life. His wife Joanne selected the biblical scenes to be portrayed in them and the two of them worked with the artist who created them, Leslie Wicker, at Statesville Stained Glass in North Carolina. Statesville used a thin glass designed to let in more light than usual, resulting in brighter colors. The background of the windows is a contemporary patchwork of rectangular shapes in shades of blue and green. The streak of red that can be seen in each window represents the blood of Christ.
ROSE WINDOW
Alpha and Omega
Given to the Glory of God
in Honor of Laurence Bosworth Neuhaus and Laura Wyatt-Brown Neuhaus
The central figure in the window is the Cross and Crown. The crown represents the reign of Christ. The cross is red, symbolizing the redeeming blood of Christ. To the left and right of the cross are the letters Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet.
Jesus said, ‘See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone ’ s work.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’
(Revelation 22:12-13)
WINDOWS FOR THE FOUR EVANGELISTS
Also in the chancel are the four windows of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The word “evangelist” comes from a Greek word meaning “good news. ” The Gospel writers recorded the good news of the story of Jesus, which is depicted in our windows in the nave. In the Book of The Revelation to John (a.k.a. Revelation), we read about his vision of the throne of God:
Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. (Rev. 4:6-7)
There is similar language in Ezekiel’s vision in Ezekiel 1:10. Traditionally, the figures of the four living creatures have been ascribed to the four evangelists.
The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels with other documents, dating to around 800 CE.
Written in Latin, it is believed to have been created by Celtic monks in a Columban monastery on the Isle of Iona in Scotland. In the picture to the left, you can see an illumination from the book, depicting the four evangelists as winged man, winged lion, eagle, and winged ox.
Book of Kells, Folio 27 Larry Koester (CC BY)
St. John the Evangelist
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of Joel Ingram Shannon and Margaret Barrett Shannon
The symbol for the author of the fourth gospel is an eagle. Eagles were thought to fly higher than other birds and even to be able to look directly into the sun. John’s writing is lofty and visionary in style. He tells the story of Jesus, but his interest is in revealing the theology behind his words and the happenings in his life. The eagle in the window holds a scroll, representing the written works of John.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)
John is credited with writing the gospel that bears his name as well as three epistles and The Book of Revelation. He is the only disciple who was not martyred but lived to an old age.
St. Luke the Evangelist
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of James Everett Key, M.D. and Betty Wilson Key
The symbol for Luke is the winged ox. The ox was a sacrificial animal in ancient Judaism, and Luke’s gospel emphasizes the sacrificial nature of Jesus’ life and death. In the window, the ox holds a scroll, representing the written works of Luke.
Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. ”
And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:19-20)
Luke is credited with writing the gospel that bears his name and the book of Acts. He was reputedly a Gentile physician, who traveled with St. Paul and who had a particular interest in telling the stories in which Jesus ministered to the oppressed, the poor, the sick, and the outcast. He portrays Jesus as the savior for both the Jews and the Gentiles.
St. Matthew the Evangelist
Matthew is symbolized by a winged man. It is thought that this is due to the way he begins his Gospel with a genealogy of Jesus, pointing out his human ancestry. In the window, the figure holds a quill in his left hand, signifying that Matthew was a writer, and has his right hand raised, as if teaching.
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me. ” And he got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9)
The verse above (and those following it) imply that Matthew was a tax collector before Jesus called him to be one of his disciples. Tax collectors were detested by other Jews because they collaborated with Rome in taking money from their own people. Legend holds that in his later life, Matthew took the Gospel to Ethiopia, where he was martyred, killed with a sword.
St. Mark the Evangelist
The symbol for Mark is a winged lion. Some say that the lion relates to the story with which Mark begins his gospel, John the Baptist crying out in the desert like a roaring lion. Others maintain that the lion relates to Mark because he portrays Christ as the lion of the tribe of Judah. In the window, the lion holds a quill, signifying that Mark was a writer.
St. Paul writes, “Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions if he comes to you, welcome him.”
(Colossians 4:10)
Mark was one of the twelve disciples, and scripture tells us he traveled with Paul on his first missionary journey, may have had a falling-out with Paul, but became his faithful assistant towards the end of Paul’s life. Legend holds that Mark took the Gospel to Cyprus and Alexandria, but settled down in Rome, where he wrote his gospel. Another legend maintains Mark died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead. He is the patron saint of Venice and the father of the Egyptian Church.
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THE NAVE WINDOWS
In a time when most people were unable to read, cathedrals and churches of all sizes used stained glass to tell the Gospel story through images in the windows. The light shining through the windows brought the stories to life in brilliant color, much like the light of Christ shining in us brings illumination to our lives and enables us to live in ways that can bring light and beauty to others.
In keeping with that tradition, Bishop Benitez envisioned stained-glass windows for the chapel nave at Episcopal High School that would tell the story of the life of Christ. His wife Joanne was an accomplished scripture teacher, so Benitez appointed her to select the stories that would be depicted in the windows and work with the artist who created them. The windows’ story begins on the front right side of the nave with the angel’s appearance to Mary, announcing that she would bear the Son of God. The story continues down the right side of the nave and up the left side to the front left, where we see the window depicting the Pentecost event.
The Annunciation
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of Paul Neilson Howell and Evelyn Edmiston Howell
The angel Gabriel appears to the virgin Mary in Nazareth and tells her she will conceive and bear the son of God. He will be named Jesus. Gabriel wears the priestly breastplate with twelve gems, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The priest would wear the breastplate to invoke God’s direction when guiding the people in major decisions. Does the angel’s wearing of the breastplate in the window convey divine guidance and judgment in announcing the birth of the Messiah? Gabriel lifts one hand in pronouncement and, in the other hand, holds a bouquet of lilies. Lilies represent purity and are often used as a symbol for Mary. They are also a symbol for resurrection, foreshadowing things to come. Above the angel, we can see the dove, representing God’s Spirit at work in the events taking place, “overshadowing” Mary, who conceives the Son of God. Dressed in blue, the color for peace, royalty, and the heavens, Mary kneels in humble acquiescence to what the angel tells her. The nimbus around her head represents God’s light within her. She is filled-to-overflowing with the spirit of God.
The Nativity
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of S. Maurice McAshan, Jr. and Susan C. McAshan
Matthew and Luke have different versions of the nativity. This window depicts elements of both accounts. Luke tells us that there was no room at the inn, so Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable and laid him in a manger, which can be seen to the left in the window, along with a lamb and some hay. Timbers and thatch, indicating a rustic roof line, can be seen near the top of the window. Matthew, on the other hand, tells us that at Jesus’ birth, a bright star appeared in the heavens and led the magi to visit the newborn king. The star can be seen in the top of the window, emitting the white light that shines down upon the Holy Family. Joseph is robed in green, the color for new life, and he holds a lantern, reminding us that Jesus is the light of the world. Mary, in blue, holds the Christ child. Over the manger can be seen the red Greek Chi-Rho symbol. Chi and Rho are the first two letters in the Greek word for “Christ.” Jesus has a tri-radiant halo (only used for persons of the Trinity) in this window, but in our other windows, he is depicted with a nimbus.
Jesus, Age 12, in the Temple
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of William Stamps Farish and Sarah Sharp Farish Luke 2:41-51 provides readers with the only story from Jesus’ youth. When he was twelve years old, and he and his parents went to Jerusalem for Passover, he stayed behind when their group left to return home. His parents returned anxiously to Jerusalem to find him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening, asking questions, and amazing them with his understanding. At the top of the window can be seen some arches and a red marbled pillar, nods to the Temple setting. The young Jesus stands with a hand raised in teaching. He is surrounded by three teachers, who are positioned to listen to Jesus. Two of the teachers hold scrolls, and the seated teacher has both a scroll and a book at his feet. Scrolls would have been used in Jesus’ day, but the book is a tip of the hat to our students and school setting today.
The Baptism by John
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of David Milton Underwood and Lynda Knapp Underwood
All four gospels tell of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist at the outset of Jesus’ ministry. The top of the window shows streams of light, as the heavens are torn apart. The descending dove depicts the Holy Spirit that came down upon Jesus at his baptism. John is dressed in rough clothing of camel’s hair, holding Jesus’ arm in one hand and raising his other hand in invocation or blessing. Jesus is robed in white, the color of purity. Traditionally, people are clothed in white for baptism, as a symbol of being washed clean. The water of the Jordan River is flowing around the feet of Jesus and John – it is living water, water that is moving, perhaps symbolic of God’s Spirit at work. Many Christian traditions for baptism today include the use of moving water. Subtly, at the bottom of the window, we see cattails growing along the bank of the river. Cattails commonly grew along rivers, and they are associated with Moses, who was placed in a basket among the reeds as an infant. Thus, they can be seen as a symbol for salvation, and at Jesus’ baptism, the events leading towards God’s plan for the salvation of the world are put in motion.
Choosing the Disciples
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of Frederick Ryan McCord and Jane Ingle McCord
This window commemorates the calling of Simon (Peter) and Andrew, to follow Jesus and be his disciples. “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” Behind Jesus in the window, we can see the sails from their boat. Simon and Andrew stand in the water at the shore of the Sea of Galilee, holding their empty fishing nets. The fishing practices of the day involved casting nets, and in the biblical accounts, the disciples are never successful in their fishing unless Jesus makes them successful. Jesus stands on the shore, speaking to the two. Here, he still wears white, but a red cloak has been added to his attire. Red is the color symbolic of blood sacrifice. Not only will Jesus offer his own blood in sacrifice, but most of his disciples will ultimately suffer martyrdom as well.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
This window was given to the Glory of God
in Honor of Ann Lacy Crain, II and Joseph Lee Galloway
All four gospels record the story of the feeding of the multitude. Jesus had been healing and teaching a very large group of people all day, and when his disciples expressed concern about the people needing food, Jesus put the problem on their shoulders. A boy in the crowd offered his two fish and five loaves of bread, which Jesus then took, blessed, broke, and gave to the disciples to give to the people. Those four actions parallel those at Jesus’ Last Supper and the Eucharistic Prayer in Communion today. When all had eaten and were satisfied, the disciples collected twelve full baskets of leftovers. In the window, Jesus stands at center, holding two of the loaves in a posture of invocation. Light from the heavens streams down on him. The boy stands before him, holding the two fish and the other three loaves. Andrew, the disciple who had found the boy, stands at Jesus’ right hand. A bearded man, a youth, and a woman with her infant sit at Jesus’ feet. A yellow flowering plant can be seen by the woman. Is it a flowering mustard plant, symbolic of the little bit of faith needed to work wonders, the kingdom of God taking root?
The Stilling of the Storm
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of Jack T. Trotter
The accounts of Jesus, calming a storm while the boat he shared with his disciples floundered on the Sea of Galilee, portray a very human Jesus, exhausted and asleep in the boat. He is either unaware of – or unconcerned about -- the storm and danger until his panicked disciples awaken him. Jesus then rebukes the storm and tells it to be silenced. In the calm that ensues, the awe-struck disciples wonder who Jesus really is. In our window, Jesus stands in the boat with a hand raised, and he seems unanxious. By contrast, the sail appears tangled, the waves behind Jesus look rough, and one of the disciples is reaching out a hand towards Jesus, imploring him to help. Light shines down on Jesus from above, but the tossed waters at the bottom of the window are dark. Only seven of the twelve disciples are included in the window, but presumably they were all there.
The Healing of the Blind
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of Gary Lynn Hall and Ollabelle Dahlstrom Hall
Jesus healed many people from different afflictions in the gospels. Mark’s Gospel tells us Jesus healed a blind man outside of Bethsaida (north end of the Sea of Galilee), Mark and Luke include an account of Jesus healing a blind man outside of Jericho (further south), and John tells us of a blind man outside the Temple in Jerusalem, whom Jesus healed. In our window, he restores sight to a blind man, who kneels before Jesus and reaches out for him. Jesus has a hand on the man ’ s head, with his thumb touching the man ’ s eye. Behind them stand two men: one has his arms crossed and his eyes closed, and the other has his eyes wide open and his mouth agape. Could they be the “divided” Pharisees in John’s account? The window includes some architectural detail of buildings in the background, as well as indication that Jesus and the blind man are on a road. There are palm trees in the background and possibly additional palm fronds towards the bottom of the window. Palm fronds were symbolic of victory, and the healing episodes in the gospels show Jesus’ victory and power over ailments of all kind.
Palm Sunday
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of Albert B. Alkek and Margaret M. Alkek
The story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem is recorded in all four gospels. All accounts mention him riding a colt or donkey. All except Luke mention the crowd waving palms or leafy branches. The arch, under which Jesus rides in the window, depicts a gateway or entry point into Jerusalem. He rides a donkey, and several men, women, and children wave palm fronds to welcome him. The gospels tell us they shouted, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord the King of Israel!” The crowds are thus greeting Jesus as the victorious messianic king. The donkey he rides, however, indicated that he came humbly and peacefully, in contrast to the governor Pilate, who traditionally made a show of entering Jerusalem on a war horse and accompanied by soldiers each year at Passover. The crowds include adults and children, but it is noteworthy that they all have very sober expressions. Are they worried about what the coming of the messianic king might mean for them? Do they sense that Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem will put into play the series of events that will lead to his crucifixion?
The Lord’s Supper
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of Robert Foster Parker and Hattie Brown Parker At Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples, he took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, telling them that the bread was his body, given for them. He took wine and told his disciples that it was his blood shed for them. In our window, we can see all twelve disciples (Judas has not yet left to betray Jesus), who are all looking at Jesus. Jesus is gesturing with his hands. His is the only plate with bread on it. Behind Jesus, beyond the draped curtain and door frame, representing the Upper Room where they shared this meal, we can see an olive tree. After supper, Jesus will go to the Garden of Gethesemane on the Mount of Olives, to pray. It is there that he will be arrested. Again in this window, the light shines where Jesus is, and the further away from Jesus, the darker the glass is.
The Garden of Gethsemane
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of Sidney Val Smith and Kathleen Dorrance Smith
The gospels tell us that on the night before he was put to death, Jesus prayed alone in the garden of Gethsemane, on the mount of olives. He was in anguish, knowing that the hour of his arrest was immanent, and his crucifixion would soon follow. Nevertheless, his prayer to God was “not what I want, but what you want.” In our window, Jesus’ face and eyes are turned to the heavens as he prays, his brow is knit in concern. The light that streams down on him indicates God’s presence and love and seems to provide clarity and strength for what is ahead. The apparently lifeless stump of an olive tree is below him, while abundandly healthy olive branches bow above him. Death and life: Jesus approaches the time of his death, but abundant new life awaits beyond the grave. He remains robed in white (for purity) and cloaked in red (for the blood sacrifice he is about to offer).
The Cross
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of Jack Sawtelle Blanton and Laura Lee Scurlock Blanton
Jesus was executed by the Romans for the presumed crime of treason. Crucifixion was a particularly gruesome and public manner of execution, meant to inspire fear among any who would consider rebellion against Rome. The gospels tell us that at his trial before Pontius Pilate, Jesus was asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” and on the cross over his head, we can see the sign that reads “INRI,” for the Latin “Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum” (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews). We can also see two crosses behind him, reminding us of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus that day. The crown of thorns circles his head, and one of his hands, nailed to the cross, points to heaven. The Gospel of John tells us that from the cross, Jesus committed his mother into John’s care, and in the window, we see him comforting her. Also at Jesus’ feet and to the left, we see Mary Magdalene, cloaked in purple and gold, signifying her wealth. Mary Magdalene was a very faithful follower of Jesus and one of the first witnesses to his resurrection.
The Resurrection
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of James Anderson Elkins, Jr. and Margaret Wiess Elkins
The Gospel of John records that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb by herself early Easter morning, while it was still dark. Discovering that the tomb had been opened, she was distraught and went to tell Peter and John, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Later, after returning to the tomb and first mistaking the risen Christ for a gardener, Mary recognized him when he called her by name. In our window, we can see the tomb behind Jesus, with the stone rolled away to the left. Jesus is now cloaked in white and gold, a color often used to symbolize divinity and power. In his side, we can see the wound where the soldiers had pierced him with a spear, and his hands, raised triumphantly, bear the marks of the nails. He is surrounded by Easter lilies, which grow from a bulb and represent both purity and resurrection. Mary Magdalene, cloaked in purple, kneels at his feet, and her hands are clutched at her chin in prayer and joy.
The Pentecost
This window was given to the Glory of God in Honor of John F. Austin III and Carol Holman Austin
In The Acts of the Apostles, we read about the day of Pentecost, fifty days after the resurrection of Christ. When the apostles were gathered, the Holy Spirit came upon them with the sound of a great rushing wind and tongues of flame. Thus empowered, they began speaking and preaching in many languages. In our stained-glass window, we can see the Holy Spirit, represented by the dove and the red tongues of flame over each apostle’s head. Counting them, we note there are twelve apostles present. Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Jesus, is no longer numbered among them, but rather Matthias, who had been selected as his replacement, is present for this event. In the designing of this window, the artist originally pictured the apostles with graying and white hair, but our School’s founding bishop, Bishop Benitez, asked the artist to change their hair color to a more youthful shade, which would make them more identifiable for our high school population. At the bottom of the window, we can see an anachronistic red book, perhaps reminding our students to be apostles, too, sharing the Good News of the resurrection.
