Wednesday Word . . . Window Stories: South Sanctuary
The south wall of the sanctuary (to the left of the altar as seen from the nave) depicts an image of two men, with the primary focus on Saint Luke.
Saint Luke, adorned with a red halo, appears to be kneeling at a type of desk. He is wearing a blue robe, and there is a suggestion of a brown academic hood. There are two books on the desk, an open book resting on a closed book. Saint Luke seems to be studying the open book and, in his left hand, is holding a third, larger book (probably a bible) adorned with the IHS** Christogram.
Whether kneeling or sitting at a desk, the visible leg of that desk has the image of a winged lion. This is an interesting choice on the part of the artist, because the winged lion is the symbol of Saint Mark, while the symbol for Saint Luke is a winged ox.
The man standing behind Saint Luke is holding a scroll in his right hand, wears a brown cap, purple robe, and a green-ish outer- or over-coat, but has no halo. Scholars have long thought that Luke relied on Mark's gospel when composing his own, and it might be that this is Mark influencing Luke. While that could be explained by the winged lion and scroll, the fact that he doesn't have a halo makes that improbable. So who this person is will probably always be a mystery.
The left margin of the window contains a caduceus (pronounced kuh-doo-see-us) – technically a winged staff with two entwined snakes. But this staff doesn't have wings and seems to have a flame at the top, maybe due to a lack of space. The caduceus is a symbol of Hermes, the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology; which makes sense because, as author of a gospel, Luke was a messenger of God. This symbol is often misused/mistaken for the rod of Asclepius or the healing staff of Moses, which is a single snake wrapped around a rod or staff. Both have been used as a symbol of healing, so the former is seen here with Saint Luke because he was known as “the beloved physician.” The window was also given in memorium of the Rev. Henry Ustick Onderdonk, our own beloved physician.
The right margin contains an artist's palette and brushes. Why this, you might ask. Because Saint Luke is also the patron saint of artists, and tradition holds that he was the first iconographer in Christianity.
This window tells the story of a man who studied healing, art, and the word of God. It tells the story of a man who used his skills to help spread the good news of the kingdom. And it reminds us that, while faith may be personal, it is meant to be shared.
We all have faith stories to share. What's yours?
Blessings,
Todd+
**The first three letters of Jesus in Greek: I (Iota), H (Eta) S (Sigma)
