South Transept and Clerestory Windows

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SOUTH TRANSEPT WINDOWS

 The South Transept and Clerestory windows show the New Testament representations

Top row:

CENTURION, MARY SISTER OF LAZARUS, CHRIST, MARY THE VIRGIN, and ST. PAUL

The Lower row:

MATTHEW, MARK, STEPHEN, LUKE, and JOHN

CENTURION
In Capernaum, the town of Galilee that was one of t he centres of Christ’s teaching, a Roman centurion came to him to beg him to cure his servant-boy who lay at home very sick: “You need only say the word and the boy will be cured”. It was a measure of the centurion’s faith in Christ’s powers that he took for granted that the cure could be effected in absentia.     The Centurion is shown in his roman armoury and representing Faith.
 

MARY, sister of Lazarus
The image of the penitent in Christian art from the Middle Ages onwards, but especially from the Counter-Reformation as a result of the Church’s move to foster devotion to the sacraments, particularly that of penance. As a penitent she wears simple clothing and is shown here with head bowed in supplication.
 

CHRIST
The Son of God. He is shown here with what may be a shepherds crook entwined by the vine and held in his right hand, the left hand draws the eye to the cup alluding to the blood of Christ. His head is adorned with what may be alluding to Glory.

 MARY, the Virgin
Mary, the Mother of Jesus is shown with hands in prayer showing humility. It is surely no co-incidence that Christ is shown with two contrasting representations on either side.

PAUL
Apostle, though not one of the original twelve. His special mission was to the gentile world. He was born in Tarsus in Asia Minor in about A.D.10. He was Jewish by race but inherited Roman citizenship from his father. His normal attribute is a BOOK or scroll, as the author of the Epistles.
 

Bottom Tier

MATTHEW
Apostle and traditionally the author of the first gospel. He was a tax-gatherer of Capernaum who, as he sat at the custom-house, was called by Christ to follow him. As one of the evangelists his attribute is a WINGED ANGEL, one of the apocalyptic beasts; it is shown dictating as Matthew writes. He is shown also with a pen, the attribute of the writer. 

MARK
One of the four evangelists, he was the companion of Paul and Barnabas on their early missions and was later in Rome with Paul. His attribute is a winged LION (seen over his head in the image represented here). He too is shown with a scroll.

STEPHEN
The first martyr who was stoned to death after arousing the wrath of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish legislative council in Jerusalem, by his celebrated sermon (Acts7:2 –56) in which he accused them of being ‘stiffnecked’ and of having murdered the Messiah. He was one of the first seven ‘deacons’ appointed by the apostles. Stephen is usually portrayed as a young man, beardless with gentle features. The STONES, his special attribute, are shown at his feet.

LUKE
One of the four evangelists. He accompanied St. Paul on his missions to Greece and Rome and was said to have preached in Egypt and Greece after the death of Paul. Luke’s attribute is a winged ox, one of the apocalyptic beasts -shown above Luke’s head here. And he is holding his scroll which allude to his writings.

JOHN
Apostle. The son of Zebedee, and brother of James and the presumed author of the fourth gospel, and, by tradition, of the Apocalypse. He was one of the first to be called to follow Christ. John’s attributes are a book or SCROLL, in an allusion to his writings, and an EAGLE, which again is seen in the picture frame, above John’s head.
 

CLERESTORY WINDOWS

 The Clerestory windows show the following

 ST. JOHN AND SIMEON

 

 JAMES AND PETER

 ANDREW AND JUDE
 

ST. JOHN
John the Baptist. The forerunner or ‘messenger’ of Christ, he forms a link between the Old and New Testaments, being regarded as the last in the line of Old Testament prophets and the first of the saints of the New, in which his story is told. In the art of the Italian Renaissance John holds his REED CROSS with a long slender stem which is his attribute. He is usually shown unkempt, dressed in a tunic of animals’ skins.
 

SIMEON
The Zealot. Apostle and martyr. Almost nothing is known about him, except that after the death of Christ he was said to have travelled through Syria and Mesopotamia with Jude, preaching the gospel. According to the Golden Legend he was martyred by being sawn in half; another legend tells that he was crucified. His attribute is a SAW.
 
JAMES
James the Greater. Apostle, son of Zebedee,a fisherman of Galilee, and brother of John the Evangelist. He was among the circle of men closest of Christ, . He was tried in Jerusalem in the year 44 by Herod Agrippa and executed. The cycle of scenes of his trial and execution is represented in medieval frescoes and stained glass. Here he is depicted with a saw which is an attribute of martyrs.
 

PETER
Brother of Andrew and a fisherman of Galilee. His life divides into three parts; he accompanied Christ during his ministry; after the crucifixion he led the apostles in their teaching of the gospel; according to several early accounts, he went to Rome where he established the first Christian community and was crucified by Nero in A.D.64. His appearance has remained remarkably constant in art -–old, with short curly hair and a short curly beard. His special attribute is a key but in this particular artwork Peter is shown with an upturned cross (his form of martyrdom) although it also appears to be covered with vine leaves.
 
ANDREW
Apostle, brother of Peter a Galilean fisherman, and the first to follow Christ. (John 1:40-41). The gospels contribute little to his iconography; the chief source is the apocryphal book of the ‘Acts of Andrew’ (3rd cent.) retold in the Golden Legend. The stages of his martyrdom were, scourging; led by soldiers to his execution; being tied to the corss; crucifixion; a burial, assisted by Maximilla. Andrew’s is shown in the stained glass with a bird in his arms. The bird is a symbol of the soul.

JUDE
Jude is ‘the other Judas, not Iscariot’ (John 14:22), apostle and martyr, said to have preached the gospel in the countries neighbouring Palestine with Simon Zelotes, after Christ's’crucifixion.  He was martyred in Persia. His inscription in early Italian painting is “Thou who takest away the sins of the world”, from the Gloria of the Mass. Here Jude is shown with book and chalice which is a symbol of the Christian faith.

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