Stained Glass Windows - Historical Walking Tour

Mount Aloysius College

HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR Stained Glass Windows

The Rose Window in Our Lady of Mercy Chapel at Mount Aloysius College models a classical feature of many European cathedrals, most notably found in Notre Dame Cathedral in France

Background Information Demetrius A. Gallitzin, Apostle of the Alleghenies, founded the first Catholic parish in the Allegheny Mountains, naming the settlement “Loretto”. Eight years after his death in 1840, the Sisters of Mercy took up residence in Loretto and opened a small school in a tinsmith’s shop.

Demetrius Gallitzin

Sister Gertrude Blake obtained land in Loretto to build a convent and an academy for young girls. On May 14, 1853, the structure became the Academy of Our Lady of Loretto, later named Saint Aloysius Academy, in honor of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, the patron of youth.

Under the leadership of Mother Mary de Sales Ihmsen and Mother Mary Gertrude Cosgrave, the school and religious community prospered. In 1897, the motherhouse and academy moved to Cresson, an area more accessible to students because of its proximity to the mainline of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was renamed Mount Aloysius Academy.

A collection of stained glass windows from the original chapel (now Wolf Kuhn Gallery) was distributed throughout the Main Building when the current chapel was dedicated in 1923.

These windows, along with the stained glass windows of the current chapel, comprise a wonderful artistic collection.

Walking Tour Site #1–Main Building First Floor Door Medallions

As you enter the Main Building through either of the front side doors, you will pass under a stained glass window in the center of which is a medallion of Our Lady marked by an ornate, intertwined “AM”. While the original reference was to the Latin “Ave Maria” (Hail, Mary), the reference has conveniently become “Mount Aloysius”.

Golden Staircase Window

As you enter the building through the main door, pause and look up at “The Golden Staircase.” You will see on the first landing a large stained glass window donated by Mrs. James C. Shirk and Madeline and H.C.P. This window dates to 1897 and depicts several crosses; the main cross is identified by the word “Mercy.”

West End Corridor Window

Proceed now to the west corridor (to your left from the main entrance). At the end of the west corridor are two bright yellow windows taken from the original chapel. On the left panel is a medallion of a lamb on a book. This is a Christian symbol for the Lamb of God. On the right panel is a medallion of the mythological pelican. According to legend, in a time of famine a mother pelican would draw blood from her own chest and give the blood to her chicks. Thus the pelican symbolizes Christ on the cross (because he gave his blood for others) as well as the Eucharist (because it represents Christ's blood and provides spiritual nourishment).

Our Lady’s Window

The staircase at the west end of the main corridor features a window of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This work of art came from Munich in the latter part of the 19th century and was originally purchased for the oratory in the Ihmsen home. The window was given to the Sisters of Mercy in Loretto, a gift from the brother and sister-in-law of Mother Mary de Sales Ihmsen.

The window was moved to this location in 1892. A few years later, in 1904, the Loretto building was razed by fire. The sisters in residence there and the orphan children were saved, but little else was salvaged. The window is dedicated to the mother and father of Mother Mary de Sales: Christian and Eleanor Ihmsen.

Walking Tour Site #2–Main Building Second Floor Our Lady of Mercy Chapel

Proceed up the staircase, past Our Lady’s Window to the second floor and turn to your left, following the signs to Our Lady of Mercy Chapel. On the way, you will pass through an annex corridor with several stained glass windows. Each window has a small medallion containing a symbol of the passion instrument on one side of the corridor and a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the other side.

The stained glass windows in the chapel come from several different places – England, France, Germany, Belgium and the United States. Some of the glass was blown and some was rolled.

This tour begins at the front of the Chapel and moves toward the back.

Chapel Sanctuary

The stained glass windows that circle the sanctuary depict events in the Gospel story of Jesus’ life. If you begin to your left, facing the high altar, you will see medallions of the Annunciation of the Angel to the Virgin Mary, the Nativity, the Baptism of Jesus, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the Ascension of Jesus into heaven.

The windows of the body of the Chapel depict Salvation History as told in Sacred Scripture. These windows transition from the Old Testament stories on one side of the Chapel body to the early Christian stories told in the windows on the other side.

Right Side of Chapel Body

As you move from the front of the chapel, the windows on the right side show Old Testament stories which were prophetic of the life of Christ. These stained glass windows are paired in six sets of two windows each.

The first set of windows depicts Jacob’s dream (Genesis 28: 11-19) in which angels of God were ascending and descending on a ladder joining heaven and earth. The companion window depicts the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple: the woman who will one day give birth to Jesus, both God and man.

The second set of windows shows Samson carrying the Gates of Gaza, which typifies the resurrection of Jesus who broke through the bonds of death. The companion window depicts the Old Testament prophet (Enoch or Elias) who was taken into heaven

(Genesis 5: 21-24 and 2 Kings: 2: 1–12). The companion window depicts the finding of Moses by Pharaoh’s daughter which foreshadows the unusual birth of Jesus.

In the third set of windows, Isaac is shown carrying the wood for the sacrifice of his father Abraham. As Christ bore the wood of the cross, so Isaac is shown carrying the wood for his sacrifice. The companion window depicts Moses striking the rock. Water gushes forth as the water gushed forth from Christ’s side at the crucifixion, the living water of grace for the perishing soul.

The fourth set of windows depicts the prophet Namaan being cleansed of his leprosy in the River Jordan (2 Kings 5: 1-14). This cleansing signifies the sacrament of Baptism. Hence, the companion window shows Moses with the stone tablets of the law of God. The meeting of Jacob and Esau depicted in the fifth set of windows typifies the sharing of the inheritance significant of the Sacrament of Baptism. The companion window shows the mother of Samuel dedicating her first born to God as Jesus’ parents dedicated their child to God. The sixth and final set of windows shows the visit of the three angels to Abraham which foreshadows the visit of the Angel Gabriel to Mary in the New Testament. The companion window depicts the finding of Moses by Pharaoh’s daughter which also foreshadows the unusual circumstances of Jesus’ birth.

Left Side of Chapel Body

As you move from the front of the chapel, the pairs of windows on the left side show various incidents from the lives of early witnesses to the Christian faith.

The first set of windows shows the stoning of St. Stephen, the Deacon Martyr. The companion window shows St. Agnes, a young virgin martyr, presenting a Sister to the Madonna.

The second set of windows shows the marriage of St. Catherine of Siena, the patron saint of schools and colleges. This traditional depiction of feminine saints implies the spiritual union between Christ and the redeemed soul. The companion window shows St. Ursula, patroness of school girls and teachers, upon her arrival at Rome.

The third set of windows depicts two theologians of the Church: St. Augustine and his famous vision of the child on the

seashore attempting to pour the ocean in a hole in the sand; and St. Thomas Aquinas, kneeling before a crucifix, his greatest of instructors.

The fourth set of windows depicts two famous saints: St. Elizabeth, known for her charity and devotion, pictured with a beggar; and St. Bridget, known for her wisdom and piety, here shown laying out the site of St. Kildare Monastery with St. Mel. The fifth and last set of windows on the left side shows St. Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata. The companion window shows St. Peter Nolasco, founder of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy, seeing a vision of his patron, St. Peter, who appears to him crucified with his head downward on a cross.

Rose Window in the Chapel

Before you leave, step back to the middle of the chapel and look back to the Rose Window that can be seen from the altar.

This beautiful window models the classical window that is in the Notre Dame Cathedral in France. However, this window in Our Lady of Mercy Chapel is approximately a 1/20th of the size of the actual window in the French Cathedral.

Walking Tour Site #3–Main Building Second Floor Winding Staircase

As you proceed out of the Chapel, turn slightly right and take the wrought-iron, winding staircase down to the first floor. Two small stained glass windows can be seen in the stairwell area of the first floor. These windows depict the stylized coat of arms of Bishop Eugene Garvey (1901-1920), the first bishop of the Diocese of Altoona Johnstown and Bishop John McCort (1920-1936), his successor. The mottos of both men are expressed in Latin below their Coat of Arms: Bishop Garvey’sQuod Deus Vult (What God Wants) and Bishop McCort’s Fiat Voluntas Tua (Thy Will be Done), respectively.

Garvey

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McCort

Walking Tour Site #4–Alumni Hall

If your time permits, you may wish to walk over to Alumni Hall and note the newly refurbished stained glass windows in that newly refurbished 1902 building. Architects, Alden and Harlow, designed this music hall in red brick with a terra cotta roof to complement the Main Building. Each of its stained glass windows honors a classical musician, while its vaulted ceiling and wooden beams provide excellent acoustics for drama and music.

Mount Aloysius College traces its roots to Mount Aloysius Academy, opened in 1853 by Sisters of Mercy who emigrated from Dublin, Ireland. The College encourages students “to synthesize faith with learning, to develop competence with compassion, to put talents and gifts at the service of others and to assume leadership in the world community.�

Today at Mount Aloysius, students can choose from over 70 programs of study and develop their skills to a state of the art level. Like President Foley, 70% of Mount Aloysius students represent the first generation in their families to attend college.

The beautiful and historic campus is located on 193 acres in central Pennsylvania, at the summit of the Alleghenies in Cresson.

Brochure compiled by Helen Marie Burns, RSM, September 2011