The South Clerestory Windows: The Liturgy of the Mass

3. The Creed

            The Creed is our response to the Word of God that we have heard in the readings and homily.  This window gives pictorial expression to the articles of faith that we profess in the Nicene Creed.

            In the upper third of the window we see the Three Persons of the Trinity.  The extended hands on the left suggest the creative acts of the First Person of the Trinity.  To the far right, the tongues of fire are reminiscent of the sanctification of the Holy Spirit.  In the center, the familiar Chi-Rho (Christ) is seen rising out of a lily, a symbol of his birth of the Virgin Mary.  Emphasizing the birth of Christ, the star of Bethlehem and the shepherds’ staffs are situated at the upper right-hand side of the lily.  Diagonally to the left is the crown of the magi.

            The middle section of the window portrays the passion, crucifixion and death of Christ.  Below the lily and to its right can be seen the faint hint of the crown of thorns, alluding to Christ’s passion.  Directly below the lily we see three crosses which recall the crucifixion.  The encased Chi-Rho that is located on the lower left-hand side of the lily represents the fact of Christ’s death and burial.

            An important element of this section of the window is the word “Credo.”  Its position in the midst of suffering and despair emphasizes the necessity of our faith in all of the salvific acts of Christ.  Our Lord’s victory over death is shown by the bursting brilliance of the rising sun.

          Finally, our beliefs concerning the Church, the Communion of Saints and the Resurrection of the Dead are summed up in the three figures that are at the base of the window.