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 The Windows of St. Agnes Cathedral
Stained
glass windows are a common feature of churches and cathedrals. Through the
centuries stained glass windows where developed as a means of educating those
who could not read. Therefore, many of these windows tell a story which
are meant to be "read" by the viewer. The 13th Century
Chancellor of the School of Chartres was quoted by Whitney S. Stoddard (Art and
Architecture in Medieval France (New York: Icon Editions, Harper and Row, 1966),
266-267) as saying, "The paintings on the windows are Divine writings, for
they direct the light of the true sun, that is to say God, into the interior of
the Church, that is to say the hearts of the faithful, thus illuminating
them."
The stories told by the windows of St.
Agnes are varied and include the life and martyrdom of St. Agnes of Rome,
the life of St. Dominic, and the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries of the
Rosary. Numerous other vignettes tell the story of the Blessed Virgin and
saints of the church. This section of our website attempts to
"translate" the stories found in these windows and to deepen our
understanding of God's word to the world.
It is obvious from the outside of the
Cathedral that stained glass windows are a major element of the building's
architecture. Upon
entering the nave of St. Agnes Cathedral the visitor's eye is immediately drawn
to the massive tracery stained glass windows that adorn both the east and west
sides of the Cathedral. As you move forward and turn to face the rear of
the Cathedral the magnificent window over the main entrance comes into view. These windows were crafted in England and Germany as part of the construction of
the Cathedral completed in 1935. As you face the front entrance you also
get a glimpse of the beautiful Rose Window located above the doors of the
Cathedral.
Other, smaller windows, just as beautiful, can be found
in side entrances, chapels, stairways, and rooms of reconciliation. Many
of these windows in addition to the Rose Window were originally crafted by the
Franz Mayer Stained Glass Window Company of Munich Germany in 1905 for the Marble Church that once
stood on the site of the present day Cathedral.
The index below groups the windows
into two major sections. The first section contains windows from the
original Marble Church while the second section contains windows made for the
present day structure. We hope you enjoy your visit.
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