The Trinity Window
Installed in the chancel above the Altar
The eternal circle at the top of our window represents the Unity of our Triune God.
The three smaller circles enclose symbols of the three persons of the Trinity,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
At the very top of the window is the symbol for the Father, the "Manus Del." The open hand descending from the clouds signifies the creating and preserving work of God, the Father. His hand is always near, guiding and directing our paths.
On the right (left facing) are the symbols for God, the Son.
The "chi"(X) and "who"(P) are the first two letters in the word "Christ." The "chi" has been broken to form the sidebar of the cross. Our Savior, Jesus Christ was broken for us, and His arms stretched out on that cross. On either side of the
"Chi-rho" are the Alpha (A) and the Omega (8). Jesus said in Rev.21:6 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end." Even though He died on the cross for us, He rose again and lives eternally.
To the left (right facing) is the symbol for God, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended on Christ as a dove at His baptism as it comes to us in our Baptism. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings us to faith and moves us to good works.
The circle with the three arms of gold around the hand and the dove is called the "Tri-radiant nimbus." This signifies holiness and our salvation through the cross. This symbol is used only to denote divinity. Many times, there will be a cloud or halo effect around the picture of a saint, but never with the three rays extended.
The three rays denote the Trinity and form a cross.
All of the blessings of God, Creator, Savior, Sanctifier come to us through the cross. The gold flowing from each of the symbols pours though the cross and out into the world, just as God's grace and love for His fallen creation is ours through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Even though there are three crosses, only one has a circle of gold around it. The two side crosses bore sinners, fallen men like us. They are a "dirt" brown reminding us that we were created from the dust and to it our flesh will return. The center cross, on the other hand, bore the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ. The circle around His cross again reminds us of the Trinity. We see our sinful condition when we look upon the two side crosses, but our focus is on the Cross of Christ where our sins were put away. to be remembered no more.
The Blue of the three circles is the color of Advent, a reminder that our God is coming soon to take us to be with Him forever.
Purple is the color of royalty and is used in Lent to remind us that the royal King took our place on Good Friday.
Green is the color of the Pentecost season. It reminds us that God's Church is a growing Church, It is God's will and it is by His power that we grow in love, understanding and new believers.
The Red reminds us of Christ's blood and the blood of all the martyrs.
We cannot see through the window, the glass is colored and shaded. As we look towards the top, the glass becomes lighter and brighter as we look to God, but it never becomes perfectly clear. As St. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:12: "Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."
+ Sola Deo Gloria! +