Cathedral of St. Paul: Connick's Transept Windows

Overview

The Transept crosses the Nave at the Cathedral of St. Paul at its central point, giving the Cathedral the shape of a Greek cross (all arms of equal length, like a + sign).  

At the end of each transept are beautifully carved confessionals (six on each side), and above these are arranged three transept windows and, above these, a rose window.   See photo on left, of the South wall of the South transept.

According to the order documentation, the Rose windows appear to have been ordered in 1940, and the six transept windows in 1951.

The three windows above the confessionals are designed to support our understanding of the sacrament of Reconciliation.  

Each set includes the three individuals required for this sacrament -- Christ, the priest, and the sinner.  In each transept, the center portrait is Christ, with a notable "sinner" on the right side, and a notable priest on the left.  

The South Transept Windows

In the concept for the South Transept, as described by Father Ryan on the order form in 1951 (MIT Order #2149), the central figure of Christ on this side of the transept is giving the commission "Whose sins you shall forgive...", while the priest and sinner on this side "have to do with the administration of the sacrament."

Accordingly, the priest pictured here on the left side is St. John Vianney, who is reputed to have heard confessions for as many as eighteen hours a day (Self Guided Tour, p. 15).  Christ stands in the center, with the commission regarding forgiveness of sins (John 20:23) inscribed below his feet.  Sinner Mary Magdalene stands on the left, who was forgiven and told by Jesus to go and sin no more.

The South Rose Window

Above these three lancet windows is the South Rose Window, installed in1940 and  depicting the Beatitudes as exemplified by North and South American individuals whose lives followed these lessons from the Sermon on the Mount.

South Rose Window: The Beatitudes; designed by Charles J. Connick in 1940. (Photo by Paul Dahlberg)

The order for the North and South Rose Windows (MIT Order # 2130) includes an extensive essay describing each window, which I have summarized below for the South Rose Window.

The center of the window is the figure of Christ, clothed in ruby and white to symbolize divine love and spiritual purity.  He holds the 8-pointed cross of the Beatitudes; around him sit listeners to suggest all the races of mankind, while the globe at his feet demonstrates his dominance over the world.

The eight medallions surrounding this central image are eight "new world" individuals who demonstrated through their lives the eight Beatitudes found in the Sermon on the Mount.

Beginning in the top right and moving clockwise, the individuals include:

1. St. Rose of Lima -- persecuted for Justice's sake
2. St. Turibius of Mogrovejo -- Peacemaker (protector of Native Americans against the Spaniards)
3. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha -- Clean of Heart (called Lily of the Mohawks; protected Native American women from drunkeness and wife-changing)
4. St. Francis Solano -- Merciful (nursed the sick during pestilence and baptized slaves)
5. St. Frances Gabrini -- Those who hunger and thirst for Justice (founded schools and hospitals)
6. St. Peter Claver -- Those Who Mourn (apostle to the black slaves)
7. St. Rose Philippine Duchenne -- the Meek (pioneer of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Louisianna)
8. St. Martin Porres -- Poor in Spirit (compassion for the poor and the slaves)

The outer border contains symbols of the Beatitudes: a Dove (Poor in Spirit), the Sword and Palm (Persecution), the Olive Branch (Peacemakers), the Lilies (Clean of Heart), the Broken Sword (Merciful), the Sword and Scales (Hunger and Thirst for Justice), the Inverted Torch (Mourn), and the Lamb (Meek).

The North Transept Windows

For the North Transept, Father Ryan suggests a focus on "the effects of this Sacrament," with the central figure of Christ as the Good Shepherd, indicating that the Sacrament brings us back in right relationship with Christ. 

The priest in this set of three is St. John Nepomucene, martyred for refusing to reveal secrets from the confessional, Christ the Good Shepherd holding a lamb, and St. Dismas, the repentant thief crucified with Christ.

The North Rose Window

Like the South Rose Window, the North Rose Window was installed in 1940.  Called "Our Lady Queen of Martyrs" in the original order documents, it features eight North American Jesuit Martyrs.

North Rose Window: American Martyrs; designed by Charles J. Connick in 1940. (Photo by Paul Dahlberg)

As noted above, the order for the North and South Rose Windows (MIT Order # 2130) includes an extensive essay describing each window; the information below is summarized from the essay about the North Rose Window.

Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs is seated in the center holding a palm branch and surrounded by angels also holding palm branches, which are symbolic of martyrdom.  The globe at her feet is marked in red where these martyrs met their deaths.

The eight medallions surrounding this center image depict eight North American Jesuit martyrs who came to French Canada in the 17th century to the Huron people, along with an indication in each medallion of the ways they met their deaths.  The individuals include:

1. St. John de Brebeuf
2. St. Gabriel Lalemont
3. St. Noel Chabanel
4. St. Rene Goupil
5. St. Charles Gernier
6. St. Anthony Daniel
7. St. Jean de Lalanne
8. St. Isaac Jogues

The outer border of depicts native wild animals important to both the Huron nation and to Minnesota:  the eagle, moose, turtle, porcupine, gopher, wolf, bear, and hawk.