The Nave Windows: The Blessed Virgin Mary – St. John’s Parish of Newark

As we face the altar, the first window on the right depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven. Mary is wearing a crown and the grisaille rondel at the top depicts her Coronation as Queen of Heaven. It follows the same design pattern as the window of Our Lord. The central figure is framed by a series of rondels that alternate between grisaille portrayals of various events and gold-toned symbols mostly associated with Mary. The seven grisaille rondels are magnificent miniatures of the Five Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary to which are added the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven, the last of the Glorious Mysteries, and a depiction of the Flight into Egypt.

The Portrait

The figure shows Mary garbed in a white robe and red cloak. This 19th century interpretation shows Our Lady garbed in colors different from the blue and white colors to which 20th and 21st century Catholics are accustomed.

In the ventilator there is a bouquet of lilies, symbol of the purity of the Virgin Mary.

The Rondels

Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven

Queen of Heaven is one of many titles applied to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The title comes in part from ancient Catholic teaching that Mary, at the end of her earthly life, was bodily and spiritually assumed into heaven, and that she is there honored as Queen. The Catholic teaching on Mary as Queen is expressed in the papal encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam, issued by Pope Pius XII in 1954. It states that Mary is called Queen of Heaven because her son, Jesus Christ, is the heavenly king of the universe.

The first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet – A and Ω “The one who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ Then he said, ‘Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.’ He said to me, ‘They are accomplished. I [am] the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning, and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water.’” (Revelation 21:5-6)

We see the anchor as a symbol of hope in future existence because the anchor was regarded in ancient times as a symbol of safety. For Christians, Christ is the unfailing hope of all who believe in him.

The Birth of Jesus. Luke 1: 5-80; Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-15.

Roses often are a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of the “Mystical Rose.”

According to the Holy See’s Congregation for Divine Worship, the Brown Scapular is “an external sign of the filial relationship established between the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Mount Carmel, and the faithful who entrust themselves totally to her protection, who have recourse to her maternal intercession, who are mindful of the primacy of the spiritual life and the need for prayer.”

The star is a symbol of Mary as she is called the “Star of the Sea” in her Litany.

The Rosary is the most significant prayer to Mary. Each “Hail Mary” may be likened to a rose.

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